Ferrexpo Poltava Mining marked this month half a billion tons of iron ore concentrate produced since the mine opened 50 years ago. “The first ton of concentrate was produced in 1970, and after 50 years of operation, PGOK produced the 500-millionth one,” said Viktor Lotous, Board Chairman of Poltava GOK. Over the last 20 years, $3 billion has been invested in Poltava Mining, he said. With demand high in China, the mine and processing plant shipped a record 1.1 million tons of iron ore pellets in March. For comparison, 500 million tons is 93 times the weight of Egypt’s largest pyramid, the Great Pyramid of Giza, according to The Heaviest Objects in the World.