China steelmaker HBIS lines up investment in Peru iron-ore mine

HBIS Resources Co, a unit of China’s second-biggest steelmaker HBIS Group, said on Monday it had signed an initial deal to develop the Pampa de Pongo iron-ore mine in Peru alongside current licence-holder Zhongrong Xinda.

The two Chinese companies plan to set up a joint venture to work on the first stage of the mine, which also contains copper, cobalt and gold reserves, an HBIS Resources filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange showed.

The scope of cooperation includes mine and port construction and operation, it added. No value was put on the framework agreement, which was signed on July 31 and will serve as a basis for negotiations between the two firms.