NPI plants in central, north China resume production after Nov maintenance

SHANGHAI, Dec 7 (SMM) – One nickel pig iron (NPI) plant in central China, with capacity at 230 mt in nickel content, had resumed production as of November 29, after nearly one month of maintenance on malfunctioned equipment, SMM research found. 

Maintenance in November affected some 70 mt, in metal content, of output. 

While the mill plans to put more ageing furnaces into 1-2 months of maintenance by the year end, it will add new submerged-arc furnaces and expand its monthly capacity to 320 mt in metal content, SMM learned. 

In north China, one NPI plant with monthly capacity at 520 mt in metal content, had ended two weeks of maintenance on one 33,000KVA submerged-arc furnace as of November 25.
 
Environmental issues suspended the other two furnaces of 6,300KVA at the plant, which are expected to resume in mid-December. 

Capacity of the mill accounted for 1% of domestic high-grade NPI production in November.