China imported a record amount of iron ore in 2017

Cliffs Natural Resources vaulted to a record third quarter from a springboard of high iron ore prices combined with higher sales from its Bloom Lake operation, the company announced today. Cliffs posted a 59% increase in revenues from the same period last year, bringing in $2.1 billion. The company more than doubled (+110%) its net income in Q3 to $820 million, despite taking a $17.5 million net loss from the idling of its renewaFUEL biomass production facility in Michigan. Despite the sunny financial picture, Cliffs indicated that clouds are looming on the horizon in the markets for its principal commodities, iron ore and coal. Image of Cliffs Northshore Mine, Copyright © 2011 Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.

An iron ore project in northeastern Canada whose proponent is calling "the next Consolidated Thompson," has taken an important step forward. Alderon Iron Ore Corp. (TSE:ADV) announced today it has begun filing material to start the federal and provincial environmental assessment process. The application would allow Alderon to double future annual production at its Kami Project in Quebec-Labrador to 16 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate annually.

Reuters reports ArcelorMittal has pulled out of its joint $5 billion bid with US giant Peabody Energy for Australian coking coal miner Macarthur, just days after the target's top shareholder accepted the offer and left the Indian steelmaker with a higher than expected cost. Some observers were skeptical when Peabody and Arcelor raised their bid at at time coking coal prices have been falling and according to a new report could pull back to $240/tonne towards the end of next year. Now that it is flying solo Peabody may have to raise cash to fund the transaction. The deal also comes amid the planned introduction of an onerous carbon tax next year and rising labour costs in Australia thanks to the strong Aussie dollar.

FairStar Resources (ASX:FAS) will spend $300 million to build a a mining operation at its Steeple Hill iron ore project in Western Australia. The company, which made the announcement on Monday, plans to recover alluvial iron ore deposits in phase one of the project, followed by a drill and blast operation for hard rock hematite in phase two and the recovery of magnetite in phase three. The company says it will not seek joint venture partners.

As the price of iron ore continues to tumble, Chinese buyers of the crucial steelmaking ingredient are backing away from quarterly contracts in favour of cheaper monthly contracts or spot prices. Weakness in the market is “accelerating the move to shorter pricing methods and closer to spot,” said Rio Tinto CEO Tom Albanese, speaking to analysts in Sydney today, Bloomberg reported. While most (86%) of Rio's third-quarter sales were priced quarterly, Bloomberg quoted one JP Morgan Chase & Co. analyst saying that given that spot prices are lagging below quarterly contracts, "it would not be surprising to see some contracts reneged on" and therefore more movement towards spot prices.

Helicon Group, an Australian medical company, will spend $3 million to develop a cancer therapy that relies on magnets and iron ore. Nanoparticles of iron ore are injected into a tumour while a magnet is used to heat the tumour and destroy it. Fabio Pannuti, Helicon Group's chief executive, said the treatment is still in its early stages.

One of the Seven Great Wonders of the World is being threatened by mining. Reuters reports that legal and illegal mines operating below the Great Wall of China are tearing chunks of the wall away and allowing the historic landmark to crumble: About 200 km (124 miles) southwest of Beijing, in rural Laiyuan county in Hebei province, dozens of small mines are threatening the stability of the centuries-old wall as prospectors dig for copper, iron, molybdenum and nickel, state news agency Xinhua reported. Some mines have excavated within 100 meters of the wall.

The rout in industrial metals has claimed another victim: iron ore. On the same day that copper tumbled nearly 7% for its biggest slide in a month, Bloomberg reports that iron ore's largest decline in 15 months is showing no signs of recovery, according to analysts:

Reuters reports Outokumpu said it expected to report a significant operating loss in its final quarter as weak demand and prices continued to hit margins forcing the stainless steel maker to cut up to 1,300 jobs in an effort to reduce costs after brought on by the declining value of its raw material inventories. While Europe's woes have been well-documented, the Finnish multinational's announcement is further evidence of a changing dynamic in the iron ore and steel market. On Tuesday Chinese steel mills forced the world’s number one iron ore producer Vale to bend over contract pricing after falls in the spot iron ore price.