Shanghai | Australian exporters face mounting pressure to go green or risk losing relevance in an oversupplied global market as China demands cleaner, higher-grade iron ore, mining executives have warned.

Geraldine Slattery, president of BHP Australia, said the market dynamics, driven by new ore supply from West Africa, peak or falling steel output and plans by Beijing to move from coal-fired to electric arc steel furnaces and, ultimately, hydrogen, had put miners on notice.