Tenova HYL has successfully commissioned its ENERGIRON Zero-Reformer DR Micro-Module at Empresa Siderurgica del Mutun in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, producing the site’s first Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). The startup marks a major milestone under the contract with Sinosteel Equipment and Engineering, the EPC contractor for the Mutun steel complex.
The ENERGIRON Zero-Reformer Micro-Module, jointly developed by Tenova and Danieli, will produce 250,000 tons of DRI per year, supplying the melt shop with high-quality material featuring 94pct metallization and an adjustable carbon content of 3-4pct.
It is the first DRI plant ever built in Bolivia. The DRI unit forms part of a broader USD 546 mln integrated steel complex that includes concentration, pelletizing, steelmaking, rolling, power generation, and auxiliary facilities.
Operated by Sinosteel Engineering and Technology, the Mutun plant aims to reduce Bolivia’s dependence on steel imports and produce 200,000 tons per year of rebar and wire rod using 800,000 tons of iron ore from the Cerro Mutun deposit.
