Russian steel mill Amurstal is using HBI along with ferrous scrap as raw materials—it has already had several successful trials—because of the ferrous shortage in the Far East.
Amurstal is going to replace 15pc of the scrap with HBI, which will help ensure an uninterrupted output process. The company plans to produce 60,000mt of steel billet in April, which is substantially more than the 34,700mt it produced in March, Davis Index has learned.
The mill also increased scrap bookings in March from neighboring regions. The share of its purchases from Zabaykalsky Krai increased from 14pc to 26pc, while the share of its purchases from Amur Oblast rose from 14pc to 20pc.
The company also asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia to ensure that ferrous scrap suppliers are designated as essential services during the country’s fight against COVID-19.