UPDATE 1China Dec iron ore imports ease as steel mills slow
* Dec imports drop from record high hit in previous year * Steel demand has slowed in winter months * Total 2016 shipments hit record above 1 billion tonnes (Adds detail) BEIJING, Jan 13 (Reuters) Chinese imports of iron ore eased 8 percent in December from record highs a year earlier as steel mills in the world''s top consumer curbed output due to a seasonal slowdown in demand during the ...