IRON ORE — CFR CHINA
Iron ore 62% Fe fines, CFR Tianjin. Steel industry feedstock — indirect Hormuz exposure via energy costs.
286 monthly data points from 2010-01-01 to 2026-05-02.
Current$161.91/dmt
Change+0%
All-Time High$3498.37/dmt (2022-03-01)
All-Time Low$92.92/dmt (2025-10-01)
2019 Avg$1794.00/dmt
Data Points286
ALL-TIME (2010–2026)
Full history. Dashed line = 2019 average ($1794.00/dmt).
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  2690 ┤                                 │ │                                  
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  2134 ┤│╭╯ ╰─╮ ╭╮   ╭╮       ╭╯╰╮      │     ╰──╯ │                          
  1949 ┤╰╯    ╰─╯│  ╭╯│     ╭─╯  ╰╮    ╭╯          │                          
  1764 ┤─ ─ ─ ─ ─╰──╯ ╰╮─ ─╭╯ ─ ─ ╰──╮╭╯─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─│─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─   baseline
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    96 ┤                                           ╰──────────────────────────  now
       └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
        2010-01                            2022-02                     2026-05
1-YEAR
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   104 ┤╰╮  │   ╰╯        ╰─────╮           ╭─────────╯                       
    98 ┤ │ ╭╯                   ╰───────────╯                                 
    93 ┤ ╰─╯                                                                  
       └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
        2025-06                            2026-03                     2026-05
CONTEXT
Iron ore is the primary feedstock for steel production (1.6t ore → 1t steel).
Hormuz link: indirect. Iron ore routes (Australia/Brazil→China) bypass Hormuz.
However: steel production requires coking coal + massive energy input.
Oil/gas spike → energy costs for steelmaking ↑ → construction/infrastructure costs ↑.
Iran is a significant iron ore exporter (~50 Mt/yr) — sanctions + Hormuz disrupt this.

China produces ~55% of global steel and imports ~70% of seaborne iron ore.
2021 peak: $220/dmt (China infrastructure boom). Normal: $80-120/dmt.
BDI (Baltic Dry Index) tracks Capesize vessels that carry iron ore — correlated indicators.
Source: World Bank Pink Sheet (monthly, 2010–present).
Updated monthly. 286 data points since 2010-01-01.
LinkedIn · rmn [at] project45.pl
If you find errors, want to suggest additions, or have data that should be here — write me.