Vale's decision to suspend iron ore mining at its Itabira complex in Brazil will have little effect on the Chinese and global iron ore market despite the marginal effect on the Brazilian market, analysts said.

WA iron ore shippers gear up for a big June.

The China Tianjin Bulk Freight Index (TBI), an indicator of northern China's international bulk freight rates, stood at 541.09 points on Tuesday, up 0.05 percent compared with the previous working day.

Those expecting a boost in Chinese imports of iron ore as happened following the global financial crisis were disappointed.

Operations at the world's deepest gold mine, in South Africa, have been halted after 164 cases of coronavirus were detected there.

"Coal and iron ore used to be piled up on the dock without cover, and sewage flowed everywhere after it rained. Coming back from the dock, I would throw my shoes away," said Nie Zhiqiang, who has lived near the port for about half a century.

Cleveland-Cliffs expects its US steelmaking operations to begin normalizing over the second and third quarters, depending on automotive plant restarts.

“Industrial activities (in China) are practically at their normal levels…Civil construction is also rising daily and steel and iron ore stocks are falling,” he said.