“一带一路”倡议在横跨亚洲、中东、欧洲和非洲的68个国家创造了5万亿美元的基础建设开支和资本合作热潮。大量资金被用于建造港口、公路、铁路和发电站，并且成为例如铁矿、煤、铜、原油和稀有金属等大宗商品消费的持续动力。
据报道， “一带一路”倡议拥有9千亿美元的投资支撑，并有潜力产生约1.2亿吨的原钢需求。一些矿业公司在2017年公布报告所展示的数据则更为乐观，高达1.5亿吨。
赛德思集团董事长王雷（Rani Jarkas）在接受美国CNBC财经电视台的采访时表示，“一带一路”倡议目前正处在起步阶段，已经开始为钢铁和铁矿石带来了巨大的市场需求。
借助这一重大发展契机，全球矿业都迎来了巨大的机遇，中国与世界其他矿业公司建立起供给、支持、合作的关系。例如，澳大利亚的矿产业务因得益于幅员辽阔的国土面积，矿业拥有丰富的历史、专业经验以及技术，将彰显其作为“一带一路”倡议沿线国家中极具价值的矿业项目的地位。
The Belt and Road Initiative creates a US$5 trillion infrastructure spending spree that spans over 68 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Billions will be spent on ports, roads, railways, power plants, and will serve as an ongoing stimulus for commodities such as iron ore, coal, copper, crude oil and minor metals.
Citigroup Inc. reported the Belt and Road Initiative is backed by about US$900 billion worth of investments and has the potential to generate about 120 million tons of crude steel demand. This number is more optimistic to 150 million tons according to BHP published report in 2017.
Rani Jarkas, Chairman of Cedrus Investments, also commented during an interview by CNBC that the Belt and Road Initiative now is at the initial stage and has been starting to bring a huge demand boost for steel and iron ore.
This represents a great opportunity for international businesses to supply, support and partner with Chinese and other international mining companies as this massive development takes shape. For example, Australian mining businesses have experience, expertise and technology garnered from their mining industry across a very large country will prove valuable mining projects along the BRI.
Rani Jarkas - Chairman of Investment Firm in Hong Kong 