Australian miners hype proximity to Asia to sell ore
Updated
![Australian miners argue their geography means they are ideally placed to take advantage of China and India's hunger for steel. [AFP]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/aus_mining_afp_0208.jpg "Australian miners argue their geography means they are ideally placed to take advantage of China and India's hunger for steel. [AFP]")
Australian miners argue their geography means they are ideally placed to take advantage of China and India's hunger for steel. [AFP]
Australian miner BHP Billiton has increased its estimates of iron ore and manganese resources and reserves in Western Australia and Brazil.
The announcement has coincided with a company briefing in which it spruiked the value of its steelmaking materials business.
BHP told the briefing it has a top three presence in iron ore, manganese and metallurgical coal industries - which it says are all crucial components in making steel.
The chief executive of BHP's ferrous and coal division, Marcus Randolph, has argued it is ideally placed to take advantage of China and India's hunger for steel.
"All three of those businesses are largely Australian based, so if you think about 'what do you want out of your business, when Asia is your market, and China is producing four times more steel than anywhere else?'"
"You are substantially location-advantaged from an Australian production source."
