thumbs up for the infoI also see a lot more interest being...

thumbs up for the info

I also see a lot more interest being focussed in this part of the world (S America) courtesy of the Rudd Resource Rip-off

just to liven up the thread a little with some off topic banter (seeing as it's a quiet ole thread)

If I was, for example, Rio Tinto, wouldn't I buy a refinery in China and then sell my ore at massive discount so that my Australian operations don't show a "Super Profit" and then my refinery can make a huge margin on it's refined product?

In fact, would miners maybe look at this sort of dodge locally, thus improving investment in refining industries in Australia?

It's always baffled me that we send ore and coke to China, then buy back the steel...I know labour rates are ridiculous there but surely the nett transport cost when weighted against (say) carbon costs of transport as well as fiscal costs would make this more attractive...or do we simply not need the steel? Can't we export the finished product? I note that a lot of the QLD LNG line pipe is being sourced offshore, probably because of production rates..