SDI Announces Start of New Iron Making Process

Kobe Steel Ltd. has announced what it calls the world’s first commercial plant using the ITmk3 Process successfully began production of iron nuggets in the U.S. on Jan. 12. The process was developed by Kobe Steel.

Kobe Steel and Steel Dynamics Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., constructed the plant at Hoyt Lakes, Minn.

The RHF has a diameter of 60 meters, a height of 5 meters, and an annual production capacity of 500,000 metric tons.

Production of iron nuggets, which are used in steelmaking, will gradually increase in accordance with operating conditions and is anticipated to reach the facility’s annual design capacity of 500,000 metric tons by the middle of this year, according to a company press release.

ITmk3 is an iron-making process totally different in concept from the traditional blast furnace method. Kobe Steel says the ITmk3 process is noted for the following characteristics:

1.     High-grade iron nuggets can be produced in an extremely short time of about 10 minutes.

2.     The ITmk3 Process can use lower-cost iron ore fines and steaming coal, which are difficult to use in blast furnace iron making.

3.     In comparison to pig iron produced in a blast furnace, the production of iron nuggets using the ITmk3 Process emits about 20 percent less carbon dioxide.

With the start up of the commercial ITmk3 plant, Kobe Steel says it is looking to build the system in other areas of the world. The company is working on iron nugget projects in North America, Vietnam, India, Russia, Australia and other countries, which are expected to have a total production capacity level of several million tons of iron nuggets.

SDI says it plans to use the nuggets produced by the Minnesota ITmk3 Plant in its steel mills.