Iron ore: Movement

The Australia and Brazil to China conveyor belt

What this tab covers How it flows between countries: the largest bilateral trade routes drawn on a world map, 2024 UN Comtrade export and import values with the top exporters and importers by share, plus shipping routes, chokepoints and trade restrictions.

Iron ores and concentrates (HS 2601) are the largest metal-ore trade: $180 billion of imports in 2024 (Comtrade). Australia supplied 55.4% of export value and Brazil 20.1%. China bought 73.6% of imports, followed by Japan (6.3%) and South Korea (4.6%). Pilbara ore rides private railways to Port Hedland, the world's largest bulk export port, then Capesize ships head north (Conway). Brazilian ore travels farther, some in 400,000-tonne Valemax carriers (Smil). The traded share of output rose from under 40% in the early 1970s to 69% in 2013.

Main trade routes, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows

Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Largest bilateral flows (width = value) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, reported exports by the top four exporters of each traded form to their partners (US$). Bubbles: shares of reported world exports and imports for the main traded form. Hover a line or circle for values.

Iron ore · HS 2601

World exports 2024 $148.4 bn sum of 40 reporting countries World imports 2024 $180.0 bn sum of 40 reporting countries Top exporters, share of value Australia 55.4% Brazil 20.1% Canada 4.3% South Africa 4.3% China 2% Ukraine 1.9% Top importers, share of value China 73.6% Japan 6.3% South Korea 4.6% Germany 2.3% Taiwan (Other Asia, nes) 1.3% Egypt 0.9% UN Comtrade, reporter declarations to the world, US$. Exports and imports are reported separately, so totals differ. Re-exporting hubs (Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE) can appear large.