According to Jorge Alvarado Dias, CEO of the Bolivia iron ore and steel complex El Mutun, the construction works of the complex have reached an advance of 85 percent at the end of 2023.
He mentioned that in September 2024, six of the complex plants will start operations, with the exception of the DRI plant, which will start production in February 2025.
According to Dias, 97 percent of the equipment is already produced, of which 92 percent is already in the complex site, 5 percent is being transported and 3 percent is being built in Italy, one of the countries that will supply components of the DRI plant.
The complex includes plants of concentration, pelletizing, direct reduction, steel conversion, rolling, power and ancillary services.
ESM will produce 200,000 mt of steel products per year, sufficient to feed half of Bolivia’s consumption.