VOA标准英语2008年-China to Pay Record Prices for Australian Miner

Chinese steel makers² have agreed to pay record prices for iron ore from the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. In a deal signed this week, Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has secured increases that almost double the price of some grades of the mineral. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.
　
Billboard³ advertising⁴ China's largest steel producer Baosteel Group in Beijing (2007 file photo)

Australia's resources boom shows no sign of slowing down, thanks largely to demand from Asia.

This week Anglo-Australian minerals company Rio Tinto has been negotiating with China's biggest steel maker¹, Baosteel, which has traditionally set the international iron ore price for China's other steel producers.

In 2007, the Chinese imported 383 million tons of iron ore, up 17 percent from the previous year.

In the past, China has paid Brazilian and Australian exporters the same amount for minerals. But this year Australian miners demanded more, insisting their iron ore is higher quality and - because Australia is closer to China - is costing less to transport.

Rio has secured an 80 percent price increase for the iron ore known as Pilbara fine and a 97 percent increase for iron ore lumps from its operations in northwestern Australia - 10 times last year's percentage increase. The scale of the deal has surprised many analysts⁵.

A spokesman for Rio Tinto said the deal was "very significant," as iron ore is one of the company's key commodities, along with copper⁶ and aluminum⁷.

Rio Tinto chief executive Tom Albanese believes more good times lie ahead for his company.

"Overall, Rio Tinto believes that this global shift will see the size of our key markets double over the next 15 years, as demand balloons in line with rising urbanization in developing countries. And, that is also very good news for Australia," said Albanese.

Australia's mining boom has fueled a decade-and-a-half of unprecedented⁸ economic growth.

It is driven by soaring demand for iron ore and coal from China and India.

The bonanza⁹ has the potential to end Australia's long-term current account deficit¹⁰ and push the country's international trade balance into surplus.

But despite such massive earnings¹¹ in the minerals sector¹², there are fears that the higher income from exports could increase inflation in Australia and push up domestic interest rates.

But Australia's mining boom has cushioned the economy from the worst effects of the global credit squeeze.

 

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

4 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

7 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

8 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

9 bonanza   

n.富矿带，幸运，带来好运的事

参考例句：

• Bargain hunters enjoyed a real bonanza today.到处买便宜货的人今天真是交了好运。
• What a bonanza for the winning ticket holders!对于手持胜券的人来说，这是多好的运气啊。

10 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

11 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

12 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。