TEHRAN (MEHR - Trend )
The blast furnace project of Esfahan Steel Company which is Iran's largest steel industry project, with a production capacity of 1.4 million tons, will be ready to come on stream in the near future.
According to the Mehr News Agency, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) reported that 984.81 billion rials plus to $127.44 million has been expended on the project.
Blast furnace No. 3 has the capacity of producing 1.4 million tons of molten cast iron per annum that will increase the Esfahan Steel Company's annual molten cast iron output from the current 2.2 million tons to 3.6 million tons.
The company's other projects are the agglomeration project with the production capacity of 2.4 million tons per annum and a coke production unit with 900,000 tons of production capacity in a year. A 55MW power plant and raw material warehouse are other projects that have had 80 percent progress.
Iran to commission Gol-e-Gohar pelletizing plant
Gol-e-Gohar pelletizing plant is 97 percent complete.
According to IMIDRO, 192.65 million euros have been invested in this project that will generate more than 2,000 direct and indirect job opportunities.
The contract for the construction of the pelletizing plant was signed in 2003 with a consortium including local construction company Concrete Industries & Copper Investment Consortium accounting for a 53% share, Finland-based Outokumpu's technology division Outotec accounting for 33%, Swiss-based ABB with 9% and Spain based Taim with 5%.
Gol-e-Gohar company's project of hematite beneficiation and iron concentrate desulphurization is also 93 percent complete and is to come on stream in the near future with 24.515 million euros worth of investment. The project generates 600 direct and indirect job opportunities.
Establishment of a new concentrate production line with the production capacity of 2 million tons of iron ore concentrate, construction of a steel factory with production capacity of 1.6 million tons of steel, establishment of a power plant, and a water desalination unit are Gol-e-Gohar Company's next five years projects.
Gol-e-Gohar has control over six major iron ore sites, although the company is currently only exploiting one of these which has reserves of 250 million ton.
Meanwhile, the company is also a shareholder in Gohar Zamin, which is responsible for the exploitation of another deposit with 643 million tons of reserves, 450 million tons of which are mineable.