The Gazettes reported that SA Recycling shipped 50,000 tonnes of iron ore cargo out of the Port of Long Beach the new metal diversification could lead to yearly exports of more than 1 million tonnes.

Mr George Adams CEO of SA Recycling said that “Many of our existing customers use iron ore in their melts and the capability to load either straight loads or iron ore, or mixed loads of ore and scrap steel gives SA a unique opportunity to be a full service provider to our customer base.”

Southern California based SA Recycling operates more than 50 recycling centers, six shredders and two port loading facilities. The company was already a player in scrap metals exports but a downturn in that market during the last several years led to SA officials to seek ways to increase volume and expand existing business.

Mr Adams said that “SA has always been a leader of innovation in the scrap industry. With this venture we hope to continue our philosophy.”

SA Recycling has the capacity to unload a train of 90 railcars or 10,000 tonnes of iron ore an average workday. Currently, the iron ore will be sourced from mines in California and Utah but SA plans to go use mines in Nevada in the future. The exports go to the Asian steel industries, which continue to need iron ore.

Mr David Thornburg SA spokesman said that “We’ve been a leader in innovating the scrap industry and we hope to continue it with the iron ore side. We are now able to offer our customers most of the products they need to make metal.”

Mr Lee Peterson Port of Long Beach spokesman said that “We’re glad that SA Recycling has pursued this line of business and it adds another export to the port. We’re always looking to increase exports, and we’re pretty hopeful that this will work out well with our tenant.”