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Charlotte, North Carolina-based Midrex Technologies, Inc. reported Wednesday that approximately 62 million mt of direct-reduced iron (DRI) in the form of pellet, lump and hot briquetted iron (HBI) was produced in 2009. Additionally, despite harsh economic conditions, world DRI production only decreased approximately nine percent from the previous year’s record production of 68 million tons. The nine percent decrease in production can be compared against blast furnace production (outside of China), which dropped by 22 percent in 2009 from the previous year.

While many plants were idled or running at minimal capacities in the early part of 2009, production ramped up in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter. India and Iran especially grew during the period, with India leading all nations with a total production of 22 million mt. Iran, in second place, produced over 8 million mt, and Venezuela, which previously led worldwide production, produced between 5 and 6 million mt based on initial data.

Midrex has collected data from about four-fifths of the world’s combine DRI industry, based on information available from the World Steel Association and other sources.