China launches world-first industrial-scale iron extraction from tailings, cutting import reliance

China has started a world-first industrial-scale facility to extract iron from mine tailings and ultra-low-grade ore, processing 5.56 million tonnes annually. This reduces China's dependence on overseas iron ore supply, a strategic shift in resource security. The technology's scalability and economic viability remain uncertain, but it signals a long-term move toward domestic resource self-sufficiency.