Unlocking idle reserves: Breakthrough tech transforms China's iron ore supply

A breakthrough technology that converts hard-to-process iron ore into high-grade concentrate has been deployed at the world's largest such facility in Anshan, Liaoning province, marking a major milestone in China's effort to reduce its reliance on imported iron ore.

Construction of the project, built by Ansteel Mining, was completed on Tuesday. With an annual capacity of 5.56 million metric tons, the facility passed an assessment by an expert panel from the Metallurgical Mines' Association of China, which concluded that the technology leads the world in its field.

China is the world's top steel manufacturer, but it depends heavily on imports for its iron ore supply. Although the country ranks fourth globally in total reserves, most of its domestic ore is low-grade — meaning the rock contains very little iron. Nearly half of China's reserves have sat unused because traditional refining methods cannot extract the metal efficiently or affordably.

The new technique solves this issue through a specialized roasting process. By exposing the ore to controlled heat and chemical reactions, the process alters the magnetic properties of the minerals inside. This makes it much easier to separate the valuable iron from non-metallic waste rock.

Led by Zhu Qingshan, a researcher at the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the team developed a method that precisely controls how long ore particles remain in the reactor. This allows them to transform low-grade ore containing just 11 percent iron into a high-grade concentrate that is 65 percent iron — a quality ideal for steelmaking.

"This technology has the potential to unlock tens of billions of tons of iron ore reserves that were previously unusable," Zhu said, adding that tapping into these idle resources is crucial to resolving China's iron ore supply challenges.

In addition to unlocking low-grade deposits, the process solves long-standing operational problems by improving reaction speed, cutting energy costs, and keeping system performance stable.

Performance data shows that 98 percent of the raw iron in the ore is successfully transformed into the desired magnetic mineral form. Meanwhile, its overall energy consumption is 0.82 gigajoules per ton — 35 percent lower than similar existing methods. All production indicators have exceeded initial design targets.

The project at Anshan consists of three production lines, each with an annual capacity of 1.85 million tons. Construction began in March 2024, and initial operations started in January 2026.

According to Zhu, the technology could eventually enable the efficient, environmentally friendly development of nearly 30 billion tons of difficult-to-process iron ore and roughly 10 billion tons of iron-bearing industrial waste across the nation.

The project represents the culmination of research spanning more than 50 years. Mooson Kwauk, a prominent Chinese chemical engineer, first identified the processing of low-grade iron ore as a vital national goal in the 1950s and pioneered the original heat-treatment concepts. Although early testing was promising, industrial implementation was paused due to limited manufacturing capabilities at the time, remaining a goal Kwauk hoped to see realized until his death in 2012.

Zhu, who was mentored by Kwauk, shifted his research focus from fuel cells in 2004 to continue his mentor's work. After two decades of continuous refining, his team brought the commercial application to life at Anshan.

Beyond Liaoning, the technology has already been licensed for eight additional projects, representing a combined contracted processing capacity of more than 15 million tons per year. It is also providing technical support to countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, including a recent roasting project agreement signed in Laos.

Looking ahead, Zhu said his team is extending the specialized roasting method to process other key minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, and aluminum, as well as industrial solid waste and advanced materials.

The project has been selected for the National Development and Reform Commission's first batch of green and low-carbon advanced technology demonstration initiatives. It has also been added to the Ministry of Natural Resources' catalog of recommended technologies for resource conservation and comprehensive utilization.