US-based MagIron has announced that its first full pot-grate test program has confirmed the suitability of its Minnesota iron resources for the production of premium direct reduction (DR)-grade pellets. Conducted with the University of Minnesota's Natural Resources Research Institute, the tests on five batches showed an average iron content of 67.1 percent, metallization above 97 percent, cold compressive strength of 730 lbf per pellet and a tumble index of 96.8 percent.
According to the company, the combination of 32.1 percent porosity and strong mechanical properties could increase shaft furnace productivity while reducing gas consumption, fines generation and maintenance requirements. MagIron is continuing process optimization and plans to provide bulk samples to potential customers, although merchant pig iron remains its primary development strategy.
Capacity increase to 3 million mt
MagIron is working to restart its iron ore concentrator near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and its pellet plant in Reynolds, Indiana, which have received more than $660 million in previous investment. The facilities formerly operated at an annualized rate of approximately 2.2 million mt and were designed for a relatively rapid expansion to 3.0 million mt. As previously reported by SteelOrbis, MagIron acquired the Reynolds plant equipment from Mexican steelmaker AHMSA for $5 million in 2025 as part of its plan to establish a domestic supply chain for low-carbon iron units in the US.
