Iron ore concentrate production in the first quarter of last year reached 6.694 million. During the said period, the top producer was Chadormalu Mining & Industrial Co. whose production reached 2.428 million tons.

India’s imports of coal from South Africa fell 21 percent in the first half of 2011 from a year earlier while Chinese purchases rose 18 percent, according to India Coal Market Watch, published by Kolkata-based online trading company mjunction Services.

Reuters reported that iron ore production in Australia, the world largest exporter of the steelmaking raw material is rising rapidly to keep pace with projected increases in China led demand.

Shanghai steel futures rose more than 1 percent to their highest in nearly three weeks on Monday, chasing gains in Chinese equities, even as the outlook for steel demand remained bleak. The most briskly traded October rebar contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 1.4 percent to close 4,792 yuan per tonne, just off the day's peak of 4,798 yuan, its highest since June 15.