US-based steelmaker US Steel has selected direct reduction technology developer Midrex to supply a 2.5 million mt per year HDRI/HBI MIDREX® Plant for its new direct reduced iron (DRI) facility at Big River Steel Works in Osceola, Arkansas, with first production expected in 2029.
According to Midrex, the project marks a significant milestone for the North American steel industry as it will be the first DRI facility of its kind in the US to be integrated with electric arc furnace steelmaking and supported by a domestic DR-grade pellet supply chain.
The MIDREX Flex® Plant will supply high-quality hot direct reduced iron (HDRI) to adjacent electric arc furnaces, while also producing hot briquetted iron for merchant sales and export to steelmaking facilities globally. Direct HDRI charging into electric arc furnaces is expected to reduce energy consumption and emissions intensity, while improving productivity and lowering operating costs.
As previously reported by SteelOrbis, US Steel invested $1.9 billion for the DRI plant.