Masteel shuts furnaces, sintering machine

SHANGHAI, Apr 24 (SMM) – Maanshan Iron and Steel permanently shut its No. 9 blast furnace on Monday April 23, as part of China's effort to fight air pollution and reduce overcapacity. It will shut a sintering machine on Wednesday April 25 and another blast furnace on Friday April 27, SMM learned.

About 1 million mt of iron-smelting capacity will be affected. Steel prices across China are likely to receive support, as supply dips, when all blast furnaces in the north district of Ma Steel's second iron-smelting facility shut down permanently this week. This will mean the closure of all of the company's smelting furnaces with capacity less than 1,000 cubic metres. 

The company also plans to cut output of molten iron by 78,000 mt in May. This will mean a cut 80,000 mt in output of steel.

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