The Bolivian iron ore and steel complex, El Mutún (ESM), has announced the successful production of its first billets at the steel converter plant. Earlier in January, ESM produced its initial rebars and wire rods at the rolling plant, utilizing outsourced billets as feedstock.
According to Jorge Alvarado Rivas, president of ESM, this production milestone is significant in the start-up process of the steel complex, marking the operation of various equipment including the induction furnace, LF furnace, and continuous casting. He further noted that while all complex equipment had previously been tested under unloaded conditions, they are now operational under loaded conditions, transitioning the steel complex into its active phase.
El Mutún covers a comprehensive production chain from iron ore mining to rolling operations. Supported by an energy center and ancillary services units, the complex includes plants for iron ore concentration, pelletizing, direct reduction (DRI), steel conversion, and rolling.
When operating at full capacity, ESM will produce 200,000 mt per year of rebar and wire rod, which is expected to reduce the country’s steel imports by half.
