Abstract: This paper summarizes the Chinese iron ore resources based on the relevant data of the national mineral resources assessment project. By the end of 2013, China had 4406 iron mine districts and 88.2 billion tons (BT) of verifiable iron resources, including 76.8 BT of iron reserves. However, most of the identified iron resources are poor iron ore (total iron grade below 30% on average), rich iron ore (total iron grade above 50%) merely reached 1.033 BT and account for only 1.35% of the total iron resources. Seven hundred and twenty seven iron deposits held more than 10 million tons (MT) of identified iron resources in China. Among these deposits were 32 super large iron deposits (>500 MT), 121 large iron deposits (100500 MT), and 574 mediumsized iron ore (10100 MT). Six hundred and seventy eight iron mines met the standard of industrial usage, of which 27 were super large, 113 large and 538 mediumsized mines. Among the 49 hardtoutilize iron mines, 5 were super large, 8 large, and 36 mediumsized mines. By 2010, the total iron resource in China were estimated around 192.10 BT. According to resources statistics at different depth, 775 MT were above 500 m, 128 BT above 1000 m, and 1927 MT above 2000 m by estimation. According to industrial exploitable standard under current economic and technical conditions, China has 138.2 and 54.5 BT of exploitable and temporarily unexploitable iron ores, respectively. Six thousand and eighty one iron target areas were identified throughout China including 392 levelIII prediction areas, of which 46 held more than 1 BT, 118 between 100 MT to 1 BT, and 128 under 100 MT in total predicted resources. Based on the analysis of typical iron deposit and regional metallogenic research, combined with the prospecting marks from geophysical, geochemical and remote sensing anomalies, the essential prediction elements were extracted and the regional prediction model was constructed to guide regions iron exploration. According to Chinas iron ore resources potential and exploration status, the national iron mines are segregated into eight development and seven exploration bases. These bases are concentrated in eastern China, including Anben area of Liaoning Province, Jidong area of Hebei Province, Luzong area of Anhui Province, etc. The iron potential resources are relatively low in western China, but Panzhihua depost in Sichuan Province, Huimin deposit in Yunnan Province, and West Tianshan and West Kunlun Mountain areas in Xinjiang have proven to possess great potential.

Key words: iron ore, identified resources, predicted resources, prediction model