The Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows near Betliar, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

Tibor Varga, a local angler and activist, shows dead crayfish from the Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine near Betliar, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

Tibor Varga, a local angler and activist, sits next to the Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine near Betliar, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

Tibor Varga, a local angler and activist, searches for live animals in the Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken with a drone on May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The polluted mining water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows into the river Slana near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken with a drone on May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows near Gombasek, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The Slana river (R), polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine, meets the river Rima flowing from the left near Lenartovce, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken with a drone on May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken with a drone on May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The Slana river polluted by water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows near Gombasek, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The bankrupt, abandoned Siderit iron ore mine, from which the polluted mining water containing high levels of iron flows into the river Slana, is pictured near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken with a drone on May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The polluted mining water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows into the river Slana near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

The polluted mining water containing high levels of iron from an iron ore mine flows into the river Slana near Nizna Slana, Slovakia May 18, 2022. Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Marton Monus REFILE - CORRECTING CONTAMINANT 

An employee works at the Control Unit Center for unmanned vehicles that remove iron ore mining waste to help shut down the Vale SA B3 and B4 dams due to the imminent risk of collapse at the Mar Azul mine in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

A view shows solar energy equipment for unmanned vehicles that remove iron ore mining waste to help shut down the Vale SA B3 and B4 dams due to the imminent risk of collapse at the Mar Azul mine in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Unmanned vehicles remove iron ore mining waste to help shut down the Vale SA B3 and B4 dams due to the imminent risk of collapse at the Mar Azul mine in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Unmanned vehicles remove iron ore mining waste to help shut down the Vale SA B3 and B4 dams due to the imminent risk of collapse at the Mar Azul mine in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

A unmanned vehicle removes iron ore mining waste to help shut down the Vale SA B3 and B4 dams due to the imminent risk of collapse at the Mar Azul mine in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Unmanned vehicles remove iron ore mining waste to help shut down the Vale SA B3 and B4 dams due to the imminent risk of collapse at the Mar Azul mine in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Zoltan Berki, 28, plays with his daughters in Sajonemeti, Hungary, September 13, 2020. Berki usually wakes up before dawn, as his five small children sleep next door, to feed the old iron furnace that stands in a wall cavity to warm up both rooms. This is the only part of his house that he can afford to heat during winter. "Firewood is expensive," Berki said one recent afternoon, as his family played around him, crammed into one small room. "Either I buy wood or food. So I go to the forest, or the junkyard, and if we find plastic or rubber we burn that. "But not during the day or the neighbours can see, and you can also smell it. We throw the rubber and the plastic bottles and such things on at night." REUTERS/Marton Monus SEARCH "MONUS POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES 

Charts show Australia's iron ore exports to China, trade in goods and services between the two countries and the number of Chinese students studying in Australia. 

Charts show Australia's iron ore exports to China, trade in goods and services between the two countries and the number of Chinese students studying in Australia. 

Charts show Australia's iron ore exports to China, trade in goods and services between the two countries and the number of Chinese students studying in Australia. 

Mining giant Rio Tinto blew up two ancient caves in Western Australia’s iron-ore rich Pilbara with state approval, the destruction was met with anger from indigenous landowners. 

Former mine worker Abdulai Banura holds up an iron-dusted potato grown in a community garden outside iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen. 

A signboard warning visitors that removing any material from iron ore mines is prohibited by international tribunal, is seen outside the iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen. 

A signboard in front of a large iron ore pile warns visitors that removing any material is prohibited by international tribunal in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen. 

An SL Mining employee holds up a photo of colleages who lost their jobs during mass layoffs in October of 2019 at the iron ore mine's processing plant in Marampa, Sierra Leone November 13, 2019. Picture taken November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

Former mines worker Philip Sorboi and his brother Daniel, both former employees of the colonial mining firm that founded Sierra Leone's Marampa iron ore mine, sit at their home at Labor Camp community in Lunsar, Sierra Leone November 13, 2019. Picture taken November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen. 

Former mine worker Abdulai Bangura holds up iron-dusted soil from a community garden outside iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

An SL Mining employee walks across large piles of iron ore adjacent to SL Mining's processing plant at iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone November 12, 2019. Picture taken November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

The home of former mine worker Abdulai Bangura, built in the 1930s as employee housing for the firm that founded the iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

Piles of iron are seen from across a man-made lake near the Marampa iron ore mine in Lunsar, Sierra Leone, November 12, 2019. Picture taken November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

Former mine worker Abu Bakar Kamara digs through the ruins of a colonial-era mining ruin outside iron ore mine in hopes of finding concrete blocks to sell in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen. 

An SL Mining employee holds up hands full of processed iron ore from the mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone, November 12, 2019. Picture taken November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

View of piles of iron ore adjacent to SL Mining's processing plant at iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen 

Former mine worker Abdulai Bangura wades through swamp water en route to a community garden outside iron ore mine in Marampa, Sierra Leone February 18, 2020. Picture taken Febrary 18, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen. 

Fortescue Metals Group CEO Elizabeth Gaines poses for a picture after sharing her outlook on China's steel production prospects, in Shanghai, China January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Emily Chow 

The country produces nickel pig iron, ferronickel and nickel matte from local smelters, but the country expects to have processing plants to extract chemicals for use in batteries for electric vehicles from nickel ores. 

An autonomous truck readies to pick up a load of iron ore at Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) Chichester Hub, which includes the Christmas Creek iron ore mine, in the Pilbara region, located southeast of the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

Two Komatsu trucks being retrofitted with driverless Caterpillar Autohaul technology to make them autonomous vehicles, sit in a shed at Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) Chichester Hub for iron ore mining operations, which includes the Christmas Creek iron ore mine, in the Pilbara region, located southeast of the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

Marco Antonio Ribeiro da Silva, a 39-year-old maintenance worker at iron ore mine Vale SA, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Brumadinho, Brazil, January 29, 2019. Picture taken January 29, 2019. REUTERS/Gram Slattery 

Marco Antonio Ribeiro da Silva, a 39-year-old maintenance worker at iron ore mine Vale SA, reacts during an interview with Reuters in Brumadinho, Brazil, January 29, 2019. Picture taken January 29, 2019. REUTERS/Gram Slattery 

Location of the dam that burst on January 25 at an iron ore mine in the mining-heavy state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. 

A view of the aftermath from a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado 

Volunteers pass bottles of water for people affected by a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Volunteers pass bottles of water for people affected by a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Volunteers pass bottles of water for people affected by a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

Volunteers pass bottles of water for people affected by a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 27, 2019. REUTERS/Washington Alves 

A view of the aftermath from a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 26, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado 

A view of the aftermath from a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 26, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado 

A view of the aftermath from a failed iron ore tailings dam owned by Brazilian miner Vale SA that burst, in Brumadinho, Brazil January 26, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado 

A Komatsu truck being retrofitted with driverless Caterpillar Autohaul technology to make it an autonomous vehicle, sits in a shed at Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) Chichester Hub for iron ore mining operations, which includes the Christmas Creek iron ore mine, in the Pilbara region, located south-east of the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

A worker for Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) watches screens that monitor autonomous vehicles at FMG's Chichester Hub iron ore operations, which includes the Christmas Creek iron ore mine, in the Pilbara region, located south-east of the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

A worker for Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) watches screens that monitor autonomous vehicles and drilling activity at FMG's Chichester Hub for iron ore operations, which includes the Christmas Creek iron ore mine, in the Pilbara region, located south-east of the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

An autonomous vehicle drives along a road as it collects iron ore at Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) mine in the Pilbara region, located south-east of the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

The logo of Australia's Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) can be seen on a bulk carrier as it is loaded with iron ore at the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

The logo of Australia's Fortescue Metals Group can be seen on a bulk carrier as it is loaded with iron ore at the coastal town of Port Hedland in Western Australia, November 29, 2018. Picture taken November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Melanie Burton 

The iron ore terminal is seen at Dalian Port, Liaoning province, China September 21, 2018. Picture taken September 21, 2018. REUTERS/Muyu Xu