Anhui Province-based Chinese steelmaker Changjiang Steel Co., a subsidiary of Maanshan Iron & Steel Co., has stated that the second phase of its 3 million mt production capacity transformation and upgrade project is progressing smoothly according to schedule.
To date, Changjiang Steel has completed fixed investment of RMB 1.74 billion ($274 million) within the scope of the second phase. The iron-making part of the second phase is 52 percent complete and is expected to start production in late December this year, while the steelmaking part is 70 percent complete and is scheduled to start production operations in late October this year. In addition, one rebar production line is due to start production on September 8, while another rebar production line is 70 percent complete and is expected to start production in early November of the current year. Furthermore, a sinter desulfurization project has entered its commissioning phase and is due to start production on September 26 this year.
Construction work on the overall project, in which a total of RMB 8 billion ($1.26 billion) is being invested, started in September 2009. Changjiang Steel is expected to have annual production capacities of 2.7 million mt of pig iron, 3 million mt of crude steel and 2.8 million mt of finished steel upon completion of the project.
The first phase of the project was completed in early December last year. The second phase comprises of one 1,080 m³ blast furnace, one 120 mt converter and two rebar production lines with a total annual production capacity of 2.2 million mt, according to the company.