[NMDC Cuts Iron Ore Prices Following 31% Production Surge in July]

JFE Steel successfully produced approximately one metric ton of reduced iron using 100% green hydrogen at a 15 kg/hour pilot plant in its East Japan Works. The trial, backed by Japan's NEDO Green Innovation Fund, marks a critical technical milestone for the country's decarbonization efforts by proving that iron ore can be stably reduced without fossil fuels in preparation for commercial direct hydrogen reduction implementation.

The Italian government is preparing to launch a new tender in early September for the sale of the Acciaierie d'Italia steelworks (formerly Ilva) in Taranto, following evaluations of ongoing bids from potential investors. Industrial groups, including India's Jindal Steel, have submitted proposals targeting the complete acquisition of the complex's hot and cold production assets. The upcoming government summit at the Palazzo Chigi will decide the facility's future, weighing trade union demands against the necessary capital required to fully decarbonize and restart the idled blast furnaces.

Japan's Nakayama Steel Works has entered into a strategic capital and business alliance with Hanwa Co. and Yodoko Ltd., utilizing a third-party share allotment to fund the construction of a new electric arc furnace (EAF). Scheduled for completion in 2030, the advanced EAF is expected to more than double the company's current production capacity and raw material procurement needs. This transition to EAF technology is designed to capture growing demand for green steel, as the new facility will emit approximately one-quarter of the CO2 compared to