Russia-based leading global iron ore and hot briquetted iron (HBI) producer Metalloinvest has announced that a vacuum degasser has begun industrial production at the electric arc furnace shop of its subsidiary Ural Steel.
The vacuum degasser is forecast to process up to 1.2 million mt of crude steel per year, including steel used in production of strips, heavy plates, structural rolled products, tubular billets and cast round billets. In addition, the new unit will enable the production of high grade steel strips (X80-X100).
The project took two years to complete and cost more than RUB 700 million ($22.145 million). The contract for the supply of equipment was awarded to Siemens VAI in June 2010. Hot testing of the vacuum degasser took place on March 20, 2012.