[SMM Express] Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) announced a project to build a hot briquetted iron (HBI) plant in Kazakhstan

[China Iron Ore Briefing] The Tangshan domestic ore market remains relatively stable, with 66% grade iron ore concentrates dry basis tax-included EXW prices at 970-980 yuan/mt. Safety inspection impacts have receded, but local and Chengde raw material resources remain tight, with beneficiation operation rates low and costs high, facing external weakness.

【SMM Steel】SSAB Americas, The Greenbrier Companies, and Alter Trading launched a circular economy initiative to manufacture near-zero emissions steel from recycled materials. The process starts at SSAB's Iowa plant, which uses scrap and fossil-free energy to produce its low-carbon SSAB Zero™ without carbon offsets. Under the agreement, Greenbrier is building 50 gondola railcars using this specialized steel for delivery to Alter. After deployment, these gondolas will transport recycled metals directly back to SSAB, closing the raw material loop. SSAB Americas President Tom Cox said the venture demonstrates the performance of near-zero emissions steel in sophisticated industrial applications, noting that circular economies function best with scaled material and valuable end-use applications within existing supply chains.

【SMM Steel】Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC commissioned a fully integrated steel production line supplied by Primetals Technologies at its Dung Quat facility. The new complex combines two slab casters and a hot-strip mill with advanced automation and digital quality systems, adding 5.5 million tonnes of annual capacity to address surging domestic demand and access high-quality market segments. The two-strand casters deliver 6 million tonnes of annual slab capacity with automated mold-level and width control. The hot-strip mill outputs coils up to 36 tonnes, featuring specialized roll-gap technology for precise strip profiles. The entire system achieved rapid ramp-up, rolling 1.5 mm thin low-carbon steel coils just six weeks from startup.