Jianlong Group subsidiary Benxi Longxin Mining has completed the construction of an auxiliary shaft, a measure shaft and return air shaft at the Sishanling Iron Mine. The company expects the first phase to start mining on 20 November 2022, Kallanish notes.

The company plans to invest CNY 5.813 billion ($883.97 million) in the first phase of the mine. This is expected to have a design capacity of 15 million tonnes/year of run-of-mine (ROM) iron ore and 5.31m t/y of iron concentrate. ROM iron ore output will initially begin at 7.5m t/y, however. In the long run, the whole mine's capacity may exceed 30m t/y of iron ore and 10m t/y of iron concentrate.

Sishanling Iron Mine, located in Liaoning’s Benxi City, is the largest iron ore deposit registered in China with proven iron ore reserves of 2.484 billion tonnes. With an average grade of 31.19% Fe, the iron ore is low in sulphur, phosphorus and harmful elements.

Due to China's high dependence on foreign iron ore and the quality of the mine, many state-level departments have included this as a key project.