Tangshan suspension to tighten supplies of sintered, pelletised ore

SHANGHAI, Jul 17 (SMM) – Supplies of sintered and pelletised ore in Tangshan, Hebei province, are likely to tighten further as sintering machines and shaft furnaces face an imminent suspension, SMM expects.

This is expected to bolster demand for lump ore.

As heavy pollution blanketed the city, the Tangshan government required all the sintering machines and shaft furnaces at mills across the region to cease production during July 18-21.

Sintering machines and shaft furnaces in the central and south-east stopped from July 12. This is scheduled to end on July 18.

Tangshan will launch pollution improvement efforts from July 20 to August 31 and production cuts that last for 42 days will be imposed on all steel mills.

During July 18-21, sintering machines and shaft furnaces with commissioned desulphurisation facilities, which met emission standards, will not be subjected to suspensions.

Coking duration at all coke plants in the city is required to be extended to 36 hours.

The suspensions extend to casting plants and independent rolling mills.

Delivery vehicles, except for those that ensure production safety, are banned from entering or leaving the plants of steel and coke sectors.