Hi Klob25
I believe you should really look at the big picture, not just China, but the whole world if you are really interested in the amount of iron ore needed now and in the future.
With China, whatever industries they decide to invest, they will need to build the infrastructures to support those industries. You seem very focus on the "ghost town" and China slow down etc. First, you have to understand that property is not the only industry that use iron ore although it does use a lot. Second, if you have been following the news, you should know that the property market is a very important part of the Chinese economy. The Chinese Government watches it everyday and fine tune its policy if necessary. The recent property industry slow down was artificially brought down by the Chinese Government because it was deemed to be too hot. Now the Chinese Government adjusted the policy again to bring it up because it cooled down too much. So it's all manually controlled by the Government. Nothing alarming.
On top of the iron ore China needs domestically for their own projects, there are so many other projects they export/build outside China that need millions and millions tonnes of iron ore. For example:
High speed train
"In little over a decade China has progressed from a high-speed rail novice to the host of the world's largest high-speed network. Now the country is focussing on foreign markets, where lower costs and efficient construction are making its companies a match for the high-speed specialists of Europe and Japan."
http://www.railway-technology.com/f...ast-track-to-high-speed-rail-exports-4401625/
Overseas infrastructure projects, eg.
In November 14, China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) signed a contract with Nigeria to build a $12 billion railway along Nigeria's coast. China was so clever that
".... the coastal railway project will adopt Chinese technological standards and result in equipment exports worth $4 billion, which include construction machinery, trains and steel products..."
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/892921.shtml
Besides the examples I listed before, do you know that in a recent visit to Canada, Mr Paul Biya announced that Cameroon would like to invite investors to build 2 million housing apartments in Cameroon via a Cameroon Government program? Again, plenty of iron ore is needed.
Please do you own research.
Cheers.
Pikapika
