China’s Sinosteel Equipment commenced construction works at Bolivia’s El Mutun steel and iron ore complex, the nation’s chamber of hydrocarbons and energy said late this week, adding that construction should last 30 months.
In its first phase, the complex will include an iron ore concentration plant with a 650,000 mt/year capacity, a pelletizing and a direct reduction plant with a 250,000 mt/year capacity and steelmaking facility with a rolling mill that will be able to produce about 190,000 mt/year of long steel products.
In the second phase, it would also produce 450,000 mt/year of flats. Finally, at a later stage, longs steel capacity would increase to 450,000 mt/year, while flats capacity would reach 550,000 mt/year.
The complex’s first infrastructure works should start in three months, as Sinosteel prepares the grounds for construction.