Major downstream processing project arrives

摘要

HIsmelt joint venture partner and US steelmaker Nucor Corporation (25 percent) has taken the first shipment of pig iron from Rio Tinto Ltd's (60 percent) new commercial-scale HIsmelt plant in Kwinana, Western Australia, which began continuous production of molten iron from its smelt reduction vessel last month. The plant has been progressively commissioned since construction was completed in April and has moved into a ramp-up phase. Under the JV, which includes Japanese trading house Mitsubishi Corporation (10 percent) and Chinese steelmaker Shougang Corporation (5 percent), the plant is operated by Rio Tinto subsidiary HIsmelt (Operations) Pty Ltd with 70 full-time employees.