Prices
November 14, 2019
CRU: Supply Recovery Pushing Iron Ore Prices Lower
Written by Erik Hedborg
By CRU Senior Analyst Erik Hedborg, from CRU’s Crude Steel Market Outlook
The iron ore market in 2019 has been dominated by supply disruptions. The Vale accident in January was followed by cyclones in Australia and, more recently, quality issues affecting Rio Tinto, the second largest iron ore producer in the world. The company has made the decision to reduce output in order to maintain the quality of its two flagship products, Pilbara Blend Fines (PBF) and Pilbara Blend Lump (PBL). These two products make up around 75 percent of the company’s total sales and are the most common medium-grade and lump products in the market.

