SHANGHAI, Jul 5 (SMM) – Suspension of two 480 m³ blast furnaces at Shagang in Jiangsu province is likely to have minimal impact on its production of finished products, SMM believes.

One furnace has already ceased operation since March for technical upgrade while the other was recently shut for maintenance for about 20 days with 1,500 mt of average daily molten iron output affected, SMM learned.

This move came after the Ministry of Ecology and Environment publicly rebuked Shagang on June 28 for allegedly disposing steel slag along the Yangtze River.

As the mill can adjust the proportions of raw materials into its other furnaces to make up for the loss of molten iron production, output of its finished product will be minimally impacted. Rebar supply from Shagang remained sufficient so far, SMM learned.