China has launched a world-first industrial-scale facility to extract iron from previously discarded mine tailings and ultra-low-grade ore, turning waste into a valuable resource that can reduce its dependency on overseas supply.According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) last Tuesday, a production line capable of processing 5.56 million tonnes of refractory iron ore and tailings per year has passed official checks and is now running steadily.China is the world’s largest iron ore user, absorbing more than half the global supply. However, relying on imports for more than 80 per cent of its needs – mainly from Australia and Brazil...