Mauro Longobardo, General Director of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, signed an agreement on the creation of a project and supply of equipment for the construction of a modern pelletizing plant with the management of Sinosteel (China). In the context of quarantine restrictions in the world, the solemn signing took place online with the participation of ArcelorMittal CIS General Director Vijay Goyal, Vice President and Chairman of Sinosteel Engineering & Technology Lu Penchen, and Executive Vice President of Sinosteel Engineering & Technology Hua Guanglin.
This marks the start of the project for the construction of a modern production facility, the work of which will allow the decommissioning of two operating sinter shops of the enterprise. Thanks to the operation of the new pelletizing plant, the closure of two sinter shops and the reconstruction of sinter shop No. 2, the total volume of pollutant emissions is expected to decrease by 78 thousand tons, as well as a decrease in the total volume of CO2 emissions by 800 thousand tons per year. The commissioning of the pelletizing plant and the future reconstruction of blast furnace No. 9 will make it possible to achieve a significant reduction in coke consumption in the sinter-blast process, which will also entail a decrease in pollutant emissions. Investments in the project to build a new pelletizing plant will exceed $ 250 million.
Mauro Longobardo, General Director of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih:
- It is an honor for me to manage ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih at such a historic moment and to be a signatory to this major investment project, which is the basis of the sustainable development strategy we presented in early 2020. It took several years to properly assess and select the technology required for the further development of our metallurgical production, but in the end it was decided to build a modern high-tech pelletizing plant from scratch. It will not only allow us to improve and modernize our operational activities, but will also become the flagship of the environmental transformation of the company, city, region and country. I am also proud that this agreement was signed in the midst of one of the biggest crises in the steel industry, as it demonstrates the company's full commitment to long-term development. This path began fifteen years ago, and now, despite the unfavorable conditions in the business sphere, it is entering its final stage.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is the largest enterprise in Ukraine with a full metallurgical cycle, from ore mining to finished rolled products. Therefore, there are several main types of production on the territory of the plant - mining, agglomeration, blast furnace, coke-chemical, steel-making and rolling. Agglomeration accounts for most of the company's emissions (over 75%). The company plans to transfer it to modern technologies in the first place. For this purpose, sinter shop No. 2 will be reconstructed (costs will exceed $ 180 million) and a pelletizing plant will be built. Previously, a feasibility study of the project was prepared, it was approved by the corporation, laboratory tests (sintering) were carried out, a construction site for a new facility was determined, internal logistics schemes for the supply of raw materials and export of finished products on the territory of the plant were approved.
The new pelletizing plant will be able to produce up to 5 million tons of pellets per year. They will be used as raw materials for blast furnaces, partially replacing sinter. This will not only increase the productivity of the company's largest blast furnace No. 9, but also abandon the production of sinter in two sinter shops. At the same time, the option with the construction of an agglomeration factory was initially considered. But after a detailed analysis, the company came to the conclusion that the construction of a pelletizing plant is a more economically and environmentally effective project.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih intends to complete the renovation of its sinter production in 2023, which will lead to a significant reduction in industrial load on the environment.
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China's Sinosteel Corporation is engaged in the development and processing of metallurgical mineral resources, trade and logistics of metallurgical raw materials and products, as well as related engineering services and equipment manufacturing. The company also provides comprehensive support services for the steel industry and other emerging industries.
