Finland-based steelmaker
Ruukki Metals has announced that it will develop new iron pellet grades in cooperation with Russian company Karelsky Okatysh, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russian steel producer
Severstal.
Ruukki uses
iron ore pellets as a feedstock for pig iron
production and sources most of its pellets needs from Sweden. New grades of pellets developed by Karelsky Okatysh are to be tested in the laboratory at
Ruukki's Raahe Works in
Finland.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, in May 2012
Ruukki signed a long-term, three-year contract for coking coal and iron pellet supplies with
Severstal Resources to cover up to around 20 percent of
Ruukki's coking coal and iron pellet requirement, enabling
Ruukki to reduce its dependency on distant coking coal sources and diversify the markets from which the company purchases raw materials.