United States Steel Corporation plans to invest USD 1.9 bln to build a new direct reduced iron (DRI) facility at its Big River Steel Works in Osceola, Arkansas.
The project will be the first DRI facility of its kind in the United States and is aimed at strengthening the company’s electric arc furnace (EAF)-based steelmaking operations.
The new unit will be integrated with U.S. Steel’s existing operations, including its iron ore pellet production at the Keetac plant in Minnesota, creating a direct link between raw material supply, DRI production and steelmaking at Big River.
Locating the DRI facility on-site is expected to improve efficiency and reduce logistics costs by eliminating the need to transport DRI to the mill, while enhancing feedstock security.
The investment builds on the company’s ongoing expansion at Big River Steel, including the Big River 2 project, which has brought total EAF capacity at the site to four furnaces.
Founded in 1901, U.S. Steel operates across the U.S. and Central Europe. Nippon Steel, Japan’s largest steelmaker, completed its USD 14.9 bln acquisition of the company in June 2025.