淡水河谷拟与福蒂斯丘组建合资公司

 　　Vale, the world’s biggest iron ore miner, and Fortescue Metals Group have forged an agreement aimed at boosting their competitiveness in the key market of China, and giving the Brazilian company a foothold in the ore-rich Australian Pilbara region.

　　世界最大铁矿石生产商巴西淡水河谷(Vale)与澳大利亚福蒂斯丘金属集团(Fortescue Metals Group)达成一项协议，该协议的目的是提升二者在中国这个关键市场的竞争力，并为淡水河谷在矿石含量丰富的澳大利亚皮尔巴拉(Pilbara)地区提供一个立足点。

　　The miners said on Tuesday that they proposed to form one or more joint¹ ventures for blending and distribution of iron ore in China, a move that would ratchet up competition with Anglo-Australian rivals Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, the number two and three producers of the steelmaking ingredient.

　　这两家矿商周二表示，它们拟组建一家或多家合资企业，以在中国混合和分销铁矿石。此举将加剧它们与英澳竞争对手力拓(Rio Tinto)及必和必拓(BHP Billiton)的竞争。力拓和必和必拓分别是世界第二大和第三大铁矿石生产企业。铁矿石是炼钢的原料之一。

　　The agreement, which is the result of year-long negotiations², provides the potential for Brazil-based Vale to buy a minority stake on the market of up to 15 per cent in FMG, the Australian company that is the world’s number four producer of iron ore.

　　这份耗时一年谈成的协议，为淡水河谷提供了在市场上买入福蒂斯丘至多15%股权的可能性。福蒂斯丘是世界第四大铁矿石生产商。

　　The memorandum³ of understanding also provides a framework for potential investment by Vale in current or future mining assets held by FMG, although the terms are non-binding and subject to the approval of both company’s boards and regulators.

　　这份谅解备忘录还为淡水河谷对福蒂斯丘当前或未来所持的矿业资产展开投资提供了一个框架，尽管协议条款不具约束力、并且还有待两家公司的董事会及监管机构批准。

　　“We are looking more than 10 years ahead,” said Peter Poppinga, head of Vale's iron ore business. “The memorandum of understanding is one more important step towards optimising Vale’s supply chain, creating new platforms for future mine development and offering a new world-class alternative product to the Chinese steel industry.”

　　“我们考虑的是未来十多年的事情，”淡水河谷黑色金属业务执行董事彼得?波平加(Peter Poppinga)表示，“这份谅解备忘录朝着优化淡水河谷供应链又迈出了重要一步，为未来的矿业发展创造了新平台，并向中国钢铁业提供了一种新的世界级的替代产品。”

　　Blending of different grades of iron ore can produce a mix that is better suited to use in blast furnaces than the product of a single company's mines. FMG produces ore that is comparatively low in iron content and therefore usually sold at a discount to the main iron ore benchmark price.

　　把不同品级的铁矿石混合到一起，可以形成比某一家公司生产的矿石更适合在高炉中使用的混合物。福蒂斯丘生产的矿石含铁量相对较低，因而其售价往往低于主要的铁矿石基准价格。

 

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。