Iron ore

We match our products to the demands of our customers

Of all the metals that make modern life possible, steel is the most widely used – and iron ore is its main ingredient.

Higher Iron ore grades are needed in improving Auto markets, Construction and other demanding types of specialised infrastructure. This is a prime reason for the great demand from maturing economies such as in China, Japan and Europe, and now increasingly in the Middle East and India. Export sales to China accounted for 61% of the Company’s total exports. Exports to the rest of Asia remained at around 19% of the total, while Europe is 12%.

Iron ore is also used in medicine, cosmetics, engineering, construction, paint and a whole range of other products we use in our daily lives. And technology is demanding increasingly sophisticated forms of steel.

Our products

We strive to match our products with our customers’ needs. By listening to our clients requirements, we are able to develop and deliver high-quality products which strengthen our client relationships and cement our position in the global market.

Our product range

Not all iron ore is created equal. The highest quality and most important iron ores for steelmaking are hematite (Fe2O3) and magnetite (Fe3O4). Hematite is the more sought-after ore and the preferred raw material in efficient steelmaking mills. It accounts for approximately 95% of South Africa’s iron ore production. These iron ore reserves are all of high quality Hematite allowing us to produce both high quality lump (64.0%Fe) and high grade sinter fines (63.5%Fe) for the domestic and export markets. We are unique in that we are primarily a principle lump producer with a product of recognized exceptional chemical and metallurgical quality.

We produce ore for the export market at our Sishen and Kolomela mines, with our Thabazimbi product supplying the domestic market. Our philosophy of quality, reliability and consistency ensures excellence and delivers verified value.

More details of how we get our product to our customers

Why choose Kumba Iron Ore?

High iron (Fe) content of all products.
Low undersize of lump ore.
Breaks down less during handling and transportation, so customers receive a larger fraction of valuable lump ore.
Creates less dust during handling and transportation so there is less ore loss and less impact on the environment.
Has an excellent thermal shock resistance. This means that less fines are formed in the top of the blast furnace and therefore fewer of these fine particles are lost to the off-gas and the burden becomes more permeable.
Breaks down less during reduction in the top part of the blast furnace. This means there is lower fines formation in the blast furnace, which increases permeability of the burden and less coke is needed.
Increased sinter plant productivity as a result of a coarser fine ore so this counters the finer sinter feed material in the market, thereby increasing permeability.