铁矿石生产商Fortescue Ltd.报告称，由于与国有买家中国矿产资源集团有限公司（CMRG）就长期供应合同和价格谈判的僵局持续，其销量出现下滑。
By Paul-Alain Hunt Iron ore miner Fortescue Ltd. reported a drop in sales, as a standoff with state-backed buyer China Mineral Resources Group Co. over long-term supply contracts and price negotiations drags on.
Fortescue周四在一份声明中表示，截至九月的三个月内，出货量较上季度下降6%，且销量低于出口量，这“反映了与中国矿产资源集团有限公司持续谈判的影响”。该公司还表示，包括港口关闭在内的维护工作也影响了业绩。
Shipments in the three months through September fell 6% from the previous quarter, while sales were below exports, “reflecting impacts from ongoing negotiations with China Mineral Resources Group,” Fortescue said in a statement Thursday. Maintenance including port shutdowns also affected results, it said.
CMRG正寻求在部分关键金属上获得更大的定价权，并此前告知钢厂和贸易商，计划限制部分Fortescue产品的销售。中国是全球最大的铁矿石进口国，其大部分货物来自澳大利亚和巴西的矿商。
CMRG is seeking greater pricing power in some key metals and earlier told steel mills and traders it planned to restrict some of Fortescue’s products. China is the world’s largest iron ore importer by a wide margin, taking most cargoes from miners in Australia and Brazil.
与Fortescue的冲突只是主要澳大利亚矿商与CMRG之间最新的一起争端。CMRG的成立旨在整合中国的铁矿石采购和定价权。必和必拓（BHP）曾与该集团陷入长达数月的僵局，直到四月才达成协议。
The clash with Fortescue is just the latest between major Australian miners and CMRG, which was established to consolidate China’s iron ore purchasing and pricing power. BHP was locked in a months-long standoff with the group before reaching an agreement in April.
Fortescue表示，这家国有买家的行为正在破坏市场，促使该矿商探索替代客户，以减少争端的影响。
Fortescue has said actions by the state-backed buyer were undermining the market, prompting the miner to explore alternative customers to reduce the impact of the dispute.