Speaking to US-based ABC News, Sanjeev Gupta, executive chairman of UK-based GFG Alliance, stated that the blast furnace at Australia-based Liberty Primary Steel’s Whyalla steelworks will be fully operational “very shortly”. Although he did not give a specific date for the re-commissioning of the furnace, which has been offline for almost six months this year, Mr. Gupta noted that the furnace will be operational within days or weeks.
Production at the furnace with an annual production capacity of 1.2 million mt was suspended in March due to an uncontrolled iron breakout which damaged the furnace’s outer shell, as SteelOrbis previously reported. The furnace was idled for a second time last month due to an “unwanted material” found inside the furnace.
