SteelOrbis Shanghai
The municipal government of Tangshan in the northern Chinese province of Hebei has ordered 267 local enterprises to halt operations so as to ensure good environmental conditions for the Beijing Olympics. As a result, a total of 66 steel mills in Tangshan will be closed, in addition to four pelletizing plants and 12 coking plants.
Large mills affected by the order include an iron-making plant of Tangshan Steel, which has three 450 m3 blast furnaces, and also Shougang Mining Industry Co., which has three 90 m2 sintering machines. The others steel producers involved are medium and small mills with production capacities of below one million mt. 44 of these mills are concentrated in the district of Fengrun.
According to the requirements of the local government, the above 66 mills must shut down their operations by July 8 for renovation and improvement, and will have to undergo strict environmental inspections before they are allowed to resume production operations.