Hanzhong Iron and Steel Company (Hanzhong Steel), subsidiary of Shaanxi Province-based Shaanxi Steel Group, has commissioned its new 265 square meter sintering machine, marking the completion of the first phase its restoration project following the earthquake which hit
China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.
Many
steelmaking production lines at the plants of Hanzhong Steel were severely destroyed by the earthquake. On December 28, 2009, the first phase of the company's restoration project formally broke ground in Mian County, Shaanxi Province. The total cost of phase one was RMB 3.63 billion ($576.2 million). Construction took place over 14 months with equipment supplied by Sinosteel Corporation. The first phase project includes a 1,280 cubic meter blast furnace, a 265 square meter sintering machine and a 14 square meter pelletizing shaft furnace as well as some supporting facilities. To date, all of the equipment has been put into production.
Construction of the second phase project was launched at the end of 2010, and includes a 1,280 cubic meter blast furnace, a 265 square meter sintering machine, a 14 square meter pelletizing shaft furnace, two 120 mt converter furnaces and other supporting production lines. The total targeted steel production capacity of the two phases projects is 3 million mt, with an overall investment of RMB 7.2 billion ($1.14 billion).