MIDREX® Direct Reduction Plants 2024 OPERATIONS SUMMARY

The total production for 2024 was calculated from the 37.943 Mt confirmed by plants located outside of Iran, Venezuela, and Russia plus the estimated 38.336 Mt for plants in Iran, Venezuela, and Russia based on data reported by the World Steel Association (WSA). Eleven Mt of the total DRI produced in 2024 by MIDREX Plants was hot DRI (HDRI), which were consumed in nearby steel shops to assist in reducing energy consumption per ton of steel produced and to increase steelmaking productivity.

MIDREX Plants have produced a cumulative total of more than 1.475 billion tons of all forms of DRI (cold DRI, CDRI; hot DRI, HDRI; and hot briquetted iron, HBI) through the end of 2024.

At least six MIDREX Modules* established new annual production records and at least four established new monthly production records. Thirteen additional modules came within 10% of their record annual production and 14 operated more than 8,000 hours.

The Venezuelan plants (COMSIGUA, Ferrominera Orinoco, Sidor, and Venprecar) operated during 2024 at reduced capacities, but most of their production details were not available. No detailed production information was received from the plants in Iran and Russia. The following plants did not operate in 2024 due to commercial or market conditions: ArcelorMittal South Africa, Delta Steel in Nigeria, ESISCO in Egypt, Lion DRI in Malaysia, NSCL National Steel Complex Ltd (formerly Tuwairqi Steel Mills) in Pakistan, and TT Iron Steel Company Ltd. (formerly AM Point Lisas) in Trinidad and Tobago.

* A MIDREX Plant can include one or more modules

2024 Plant Highlights

Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS)

In its third full year of operation, AQS has produced over 6.3 million tons since its initial start-up in March 2021, and continued ramping up production to meet its steel shop’s

requirements. AQS set new annual production, productivity, natural gas, and electricity consumption records, and broke monthly production records twice in 2024. HDRI production was 65% of total production.

Antara Steel Mills

In its 40th anniversary year, the first MIDREX HBI Module set a new annual metallization record in 2024. Total iron in its HBI was the highest of all MIDREX Plants, averaging 92.3% for the year. All production was shipped by water to third parties.

ArcelorMittal Acindar

AM ACINDAR module operated the whole year below maximum capacity due to local market conditions in Argentina. AM ACINDAR has achieved the most production from a 5.5-meter MIDREX Shaft Furnace to date, with over 34.8 Mt of CDRI produced.

ArcelorMittal Canada

Both modules operated above rated capacity and combined have produced over 45 Mt to date. Their combined production fell 5.6% short of equaling their all-time production record established in 2018. Module 2 set new annual natural gas and electricity consumption records and operated above 8,200 hours. The average total iron percentage for the year was the second highest of all MIDREX Plants at 92.07%.

ArcelorMittal Hamburg

The longest-serving MIDREX Module (initial start-up in 1971) operated at reduced capacity, running only during the last five months of the year due to market conditions.

Arcelormittal Lázaro Cardenas

AMLC’s 6.5-meter reduction furnace has produced a total of 40.2 Mt of CDRI, the most by a single module to date. The plant operated above rated capacity and used almost exclusively oxide pellets made in its adjacent pellet plant during 2024.

ArcelorMittal South Africa (Saldanha Works)

This COREX® export gas-based MxCol® Plant was idled in January 2020, and has remained shut down throughout 2024.

ArcelorMittal Texas HBI

The ArcelorMittal Texas 2.0 Mt/y HBI module located near Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, established a new annual natural gas consumption record in 2024. In July 2022, ArcelorMittal completed the acquisition of an 80% stake in the HBI plant from voestalpine AG (Austria).

ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel India

All six modules combined have produced over 96.5 Mt of HDRI, HBI, and CDRI since start-up of the first two modules in 1990. In 2024, they were only 0.7% short of equaling their multi-module production record established in 2021. AM/NS India’s Modules I, IV, V, and VI operated above rated capacity. Module I surpassed the 15 Mt mark and Module V surpassed the 20 Mt milestone. In the 20th anniversary year from its initial start-up, Module IV established new annual production, productivity, and operational time records and Modules V and VI established new annual operational time records in 2024. Modules IV, V, and VI operated an average of 8,162 hours in the year. More than 96% of the output from the four HDRI/HBI modules was in the form of HDRI. Modules I and VI produced CDRI exclusively.  Modules V and VI operated using top gas fuel-to-VPSA for CO2 removal, and COREX gas was used to fuel the reformer burners. COREX gas represented 20-21% of the energy input.

Cleveland-Cliffs

In its fourth full year of operation, Cliffs has produced over 6.5 Mt since its initial start-up in December 2020. Cliffs operated over its annual rated capacity and produced just 4.1% less than its annual production record set in 2022. Cliffs set a new annual electricity consumption record in 2024. The 1.6 Mt/y plant located in Toledo, Ohio, USA, produces HBI, mainly for consumption by internal Cleveland-Cliffs steel companies in the region.

Delta Steel

The two modules in Nigeria did not operate in 2024.

DRIC

Both of DRIC’s modules in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, operated above rated capacity and combined have produced over 15 Mt to date. Total production in 2024 fell only 3.1% short of the record established in 2023. Module 1 set a new annual production and operational time records in 2024. The operational time was the second highest of all MIDREX Plants. Module 2 set a new annual productivity record in 2024.

ESISCO

After shutting down in early March 2020, Beshay Steel’s MIDREX Plant remained shut down throughout 2024.

EZDK

Production was above rated capacity by all three modules, which combined have produced over 77.2 Mt to date. The average operational time for the three modules was 8,192 hours in 2024, and the average for the last two years was 8,209 hours. Modules 1 set a new annual electricity consumption record in 2024.

Hadeed

The four MIDREX Modules at Hadeed in Saudi Arabia, surpassed the 113.7 Mt production milestone in 2024, and were within 6.4% of their multi-module annual production record set in 2013. Module C was shut down for major maintenance in May. Module E was within 2.9% of its annual production record. With over 29.4 Mt produced to date, Module E has attained the most production from a 7.0-meter MIDREX Shaft Furnace. Hadeed also owns an HYL plant (Module D).

Jindal Steel Sohar (Formerly Jindal Shadeed)

Jindal Steel Sohar established new annual production, productivity, natural gas consumption, and operational time records in 2024, and broke its monthly production record in March. Its annual operational time of 8,726 hours was the highest of all MIDREX Plants. Thanks to additional bin capacity, 95% of the HOTLINK® Plant’s production in 2024 was consumed as HDRI in the steel shop, which is physically attached to the DR Plant. The single module plant, located in Sohar, Oman, is designed to produce mostly HDRI, with HBI as a secondary product stream.

JSPL (Angul)

In its 10th anniversary year, the first MxCol® Plant using synthesis gas from coal gasifiers to produce both HDRI and CDRI for the adjacent steel shop produced just 0.5% shy of its 2021 production record and set new annual metallization, electricity consumption, and operational time records in 2024. HDRI production was 61% of total production. The MIDREX Plant continued to use supplemental coke oven gas (COG) throughout the year.

JSW Steel (Dolvi)

In its 30th anniversary year, JSW Steel’s CDRI module has produced over 35.8 Mt to date. Approximately 8% of the plant’s energy input was COG injected into the shaft furnace to reduce NG consumption. JSW Steel (Dolvi) has averaged 8,040 hours of operation per year since its initial start-up in 1994, and 8,143 hours per year in the last nine years.

JSW Steel (Toranagallu)

In its 10th anniversary year, JSW Steel’s HDRI/CDRI module in Toranagallu, Karnataka State, India, using COREX export gas as energy input, operated on-average over 8,076 hours per year in the last four years, although limited by the availability of COREX export gas. Fifty six percent of production went to the steel shop as HDRI, with the balance being CDRI. This is the second plant of its kind, the first being ArcelorMittal’s COREX/MIDREX plant at Saldanha, South Africa, which is presently shut down.

Lion DRI

The Lion DRI module, located near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, remained shut down throughout 2024 due to competition from foreign steel products.

LISCO

In the 35th anniversary year since initial start-up of Module 1, the three MIDREX Modules of LISCO in Misurata, Libya, surpassed the combined production total of 36.7 Mt production and set new annual production records in 2024. Module 3, producing HBI mainly for export, surpassed the 10 Mt milestone and set new annual production, electricity consumption, and operational time records, as well as a new monthly production record in December. Module 2 produced CDRI to feed the LISCO steel shop and set a new operational time record in 2024.

NSCL (Formerly Tuwairqi Steel Mills Ltd)

The 1.28 Mt/y combination plant, located near Karachi, Pakistan, did not operate in 2024. Ciena Group acquired the plant in April 2022, renaming it National Steel Complex Limited (NSCL).

Nu-Iron

Nucor’s module in Trinidad and Tobago reported production of 1.52 Mt of CDRI in 2024, surpassing the 25 Mt milestone since initial start-up. Average DRI metallization and carbon for the year was the highest of all MIDREX Plants at over 96.2% and 2.73%, respectively.

Qatar Steel

Module 1 remained shut down for more than half of the year due to limited market demand. Module 2 operated an average of 8,112 hours for the last three years and produced over its annual rated capacity, supplying the adjacent steel mill in addition to producing CDRI and HBI for export in 2024. Qatar Steel’s Module 1 has produced over 28.7 Mt of DRI since its initial start-up in 1978, the most for a 5.0-meter shaft furnace, and the average carbon percentage in 2024 was the second highest of all MIDREX Plants at 2.62%.

Sidor

Only Sidor’s Module 2B has been reported to have produced DRI in 2023. The other three modules remained shut down.

SULB

SULB’s 1.5 Mt/y combination plant (simultaneous HDRI/CDRI production) in Bahrain, surpassed the 15 Mt milestone and operated an average of 8,243 hours in the last two years. Of the total production in 2024, 83% was consumed by the adjacent steel shop as HDRI and 17% was produced as CDRI to use in the steel shop, with the balance exported by sea.

TenarisSiderca

TenarisSiderca’s CDRI module in Argentina operated the entire year to satisfy the DRI demand from its steel shop, with the customary shutdown in the cold month of July due to natural gas price. The module’s average DRI metallization percentage for the year was the second highest of all MIDREX Plants at 95.6%.

Tosyali Algerie

Tosyali’s 2.5 Mt/year HDRI/CDRI, Module DRI-I), located in Bethioua, near Oran, Algeria, has achieved the most production from a 7.5-meter MIDREX Shaft Furnace to date. Over 73% of production went to the adjacent steel shop as HDRI. Tosyali Module DRI-II, began production in December 2024. Together with Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS), these are the largest capacity MIDREX Module built to date.

TT Iron Steel Company Ltd. (Formerly ArcelorMittal Point Lisas)

TT Iron Steel Company Limited (“TT Iron”) signed a sales and purchase agreement with the liquidator of ArcelorMittal Point Lisas Ltd. to acquire the iron and steel plant in the Point Lisas Industrial Estate in June 2023. All three MIDREX Modules

remained shut down throughout 2024.

VENPRECAR

VENPRECAR operated at minimum capacity as best possible due to a lack of raw materials and NG shutoffs.