MIDREX® Direct Reduction Plants 2025 OPERATIONS SUMMARY

The total production for 2025 was derived from 40.733 Mt confirmed by MIDREX Plants located outside Iran, Russia, and Venezuela, along with an estimated 41.437 Mt from plants in those countries. These estimates are based on data reported by the World Steel Association (worldsteel).

Production of hot DRI (HDRI) exceeded 12.8 Mt in 2025. This material was primarily consumed in nearby steelmaking facilities, where it contributed to lower energy consumption per ton of steel produced and enhanced overall productivity.

Cumulatively, MIDREX Plants have now produced more than 1.558 billion tons of all forms of DRI, including cold DRI (CDRI), hot DRI (HDRI), and hot briquetted iron (HBI), through the end of 2025.

Operational performance remained strong globally. At least eight MIDREX Modules established new annual production records, while at least seven achieved new monthly production records. Additionally, twelve modules operated within 10% of their record annual output, and ten modules
exceeded 8,000 operating hours during the year.

The Venezuelan plants (COMSIGUA, Ferrominera Orinoco, Sidor, and Venprecar) operated during 2025 at reduced capacities, but most of their production details were not available. No detailed production information has been received from the plants in Iran and Russia. The following plants did not operate in 2025 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.

2025 Plant Highlights

Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS)

In its fourth full year of operation, AQS continued ramping up production to meet its steel shop’s requirements. AQS set new annual records for production, productivity, electricity consumption, and operational time, and also broke its monthly production record in May 2025. AQS recorded the highest carbon value among all HDRI plants, reaching 2.79%.

Antara Steel Mills

The first MIDREX HBI module, which began operation in August 1984, operated at 13% above its annual rated capacity. The module achieved the highest total iron content among all MIDREX Plants, averaging 92.5% total Fe throughout the year. It also recorded the highest metallization level among all HBI plants, reaching 95.38%. All production was shipped by sea to third party customers.

ArcelorMittal Acindar

AM ACINDAR’s module operated below maximum capacity throughout the year due to local market conditions in Argentina. Even so, AM ACINDAR has achieved the highest cumulative production from a 5.5 meter MIDREX Shaft Furnace to date. The plant also set a new annual metallization record of 95.38% in 2025.

ArcelorMittal Canada

Both modules operated at more than 43% and 56% of their rated capacity, respectively. The combined production from both modules was over 90% of their 2018 production record. The average total iron content in Module 2 was the second highest among all MIDREX Plants, reaching 91.80%.

ArcelorMittal Hamburg

The longest serving MIDREX Module (initial startup 1971) operated at reduced capacity due to market conditions.

Arcelormittal Lázaro Cardenas

AMLC 6.5-meter reduction furnace has produced 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 2025.

ArcelorMittal South Africa (Saldanha Works)

This COREX^® export gas-based MxCol^® Plant was idled in January 2020, and has remained shut down throughout 2025.

ArcelorMittal Texas HBI

The ArcelorMittal Texas 2.0 Mt/y HBI module set the world monthly HBI production record in September 2025. Production in 2025 was more than 90% of the production record achieved in 2023. A clear and continuous improvement in natural gas consumption efficiency has been evident since the facility’s start up in 2016

ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel India

AMNS III and IV operated above their rated capacities. Modules IV and V also operated for more than 8,000 hours. Module IV set multiple records in 2025, including production, productivity, electricity consumption and operational time. It additionally set a new monthly production record in October 2025. More than 90% of the output from the four HDRI/HBI modules was produced as 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.

Cleveland-Cliffs

In its fifth anniversary year, the plant achieved the highest HBI carbon content among all HBI plants. The 1.6 Mt/y plant located in Toledo, Ohio, USA, produces HBI primarily for consumption by Cleveland Cliffs’ steel companies in the region.

COMSIGUA

COMSIGUA operated for only a few months at limited capacity.

Delta Steel

The two modules in Nigeria did not operate in 2025.

DRIC

Both of DRIC’s modules in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, operated above their rated capacities, achieving a new combined annual production record in 2025. Module 2 set new records in annual production, productivity, and electricity consumption. It also established a new monthly production record in January 2025. Additionally, Module 2 recorded the second highest operational time among all MIDREX^® Plants in 2025. Module 1 also achieved a new electricity consumption record.

ESISCO

After shutting down in early March 2020, Beshay Steel’s MIDREX Plant remained shut down throughout 2025.

EZDK

Production was above rated capacity by all three modules and were only 1% below their multi-plant production record set in 2023. Module 1 set new annual records in production, electricity consumption, and operational time, reaching the highest among all MIDREX Plants in 2025. In its 25th anniversary year, Module 3 also set a new annual production record and operated for more than 8,300 hours during the year.

FMO

Thirty-five years after its restart as a MIDREX® Plant, Ferrominera Orinoco’s HBI module in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, operated at low capacity in 2025.

Hadeed

The four MIDREX Modules at Hadeed in Saudi Arabia were within 8% of their total multi-module annual production record set in 2013. All modules operated above their design capacities. Module C recorded the third highest operational time among all MIDREX Plants, with annual production only 3% below its record set in 2006. It also operated the reformer with the highest efficiency among all MIDREX Plants, based on production per volume of catalyst. Module E continues to hold the record for the highest cumulative production from a 7.0 meter MIDREX^® Shaft Furnace. Hadeed also owns an HYL plant (Module D).

Jindal Steel Sohar

Jindal Steel Sohar established a new annual productivity record. The plant also broke its monthly production record in October 2025. When measured by production per reduction furnace volume, the plant ranked as the most efficient MIDREX Plant in 2025. With additional bin capacity, 98% of production was consumed as HDRI in the directly connected steel shop. The single-module facility in Sohar, Oman, is designed to produce primarily HDRI, with HBI as a secondary product stream.

JSPL (Angul)

The first MxCol plant, which uses synthesis gas from coal gasifiers to produce both HDRI and CDRI for the adjacent steel shop, set new annual records in production, metallization, and electricity consumption. The plant also broke its monthly production record in May 2025. HDRI accounted for 70% of the total production. The plant continued to use supplemental coke oven gas (COG) throughout the year.

JSW Steel (Dolvi)

JSW Steel’s module, which produces CDRI, operated above its design capacity. Approximately 10% of the plant’s total energy input came from COG injected into the shaft furnace, helping to reduce natural gas consumption. The plant operated above 8,000 hours in 2025.

JSW Steel (Toranagallu)

JSW Steel’s HDRI/CDRI module in Toranagallu, Karnataka, India, which uses COREX export gas as energy input, operated close to 8,000 hours in 2025, with availability largely constrained by the supply of COREX export gas. Of the module’s total production, 53% was delivered to the steel shop as HDRI, with the balance being CDRI. This facility is the second of its kind worldwide, the first being ArcelorMittal’s COREX/MIDREX^® plant in Saldanha, South Africa, which is currently shut down.

Lion DRI

The Lion DRI module, located near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, remained shut down throughout 2025 due to competition from foreign steel products.

LISCO

The combined 2025 production of the three modules came very close to the 2024 record, falling short by less than 1.2%. Modules 1 and 3 operated above their design capacities. Module 1 produced CDRI to supply the LISCO steel shop and set a new operational time record in 2025. Module 3 set several new annual records in 2025, including productivity, natural gas consumption and electricity consumption.

NSCL (Formerly Tuwairqi Steel Mills Ltd)

The 1.28 Mt/y combination plant, located near Karachi, Pakistan, did not operate in 2025.

Nu-Iron

Nucor’s module in Trinidad and Tobago achieved the highest DRI metallization of 96.22% and carbon of 2.74% in 2025 of all MIDREX Plants.

Qatar Steel

Module 1 has produced since beginning operations in 1978, the highest cumulative production achieved by a 5.0 meter shaft furnace. In 2025, the average carbon content was the second highest among all MIDREX CDRI plants. Module 2 is supplying the adjacent steel mill and producing both CDRI and HBI for export. Both Module 1 and Module 2 operated above their annual rated capacities.

Sidor

Only Sidor’s Module 2B has been reported to have produced DRI in 2025. The other three modules remained shut down.

SULB

SULB’s 1.5 Mt/y combination plant in Bahrain, capable of simultaneous HDRI and CDRI production, set a new annual production record in 2025. The plant also achieved a new annual record in natural gas consumption, as well as a record in electricity consumption. SULB recorded the highest metallization value among all HDRI plants. Of the total 2025 production, 80% was delivered as HDRI to the adjacent steel shop, while 20% was supplied as CDRI. The remaining material was exported by sea.

Tenaris Siderca

Tenaris Siderca’s CDRI module in Argentina operated throughout the year to meet the DRI demand of its steel shop, with its customary shutdown during the colder months of June–August due to natural gas pricing. The module’s average DRI metallization for 2025 was the second highest among all MIDREX Plants.

Tosyali Algerie

Both modules achieved a new combined annual production record in 2025. Tosyali’s 2.5 Mt/y HDRI/CDRI Module DRI I, has reached the highest cumulative production from a 7.5 meter MIDREX Shaft Furnace, since its startup in 2018. The plant also set a new electricity consumption record in 2025. Over 70% of its production was delivered to the adjacent steel shop as HDRI. Tosyali Module DRI II, which started up in August 2024, broke multiple records in 2025, including: annual production, productivity, metallization, electricity consumption and operational time. The plant also achieved the highest monthly production among all MIDREX Plants in May 2025. Module DRI II now holds the highest annual and monthly production, as well as the highest annual and monthly productivity, of all MIDREX Plants worldwide. Together with Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS), these represent the largest capacity MIDREX Modules built to date.

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

All three MIDREX Modules remained shut down throughout the year.

VENPRECAR

VENPRECAR operated at minimum capacity during the year.