A plant producing hot briquetted iron (HBI) will be constructed in Rudny in Kazakhstan’s Kostanay region to become one of the largest next-generation metallurgy facilities in Central Asia and the first HBI plant in Kazakhstan.
On October 20, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), a global metals and mining company headquartered in Luxembourg, signed a contract with a consortium of Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH (Austria) and Midrex Technologies, Inc. (USA) for the construction of an HBI plant in Kazakhstan. The agreement covers detailed engineering, supply of key process equipment, and a range of services for the plant.
The HBI plant construction project is being carried out by Eurasian Resources Group’s subsidiary, QazIron ERG LLP. The plant will have a production capacity of 2 million tons of HBI per year. Investment in the project exceeds $1.2 billion. Commissioning is scheduled for 2029, and the project will create over 1,000 jobs.
The plant will produce HBI with a metallization degree of at least 93.5% and an iron content of approximately 90%.
The project is based on advanced direct reduction iron (DRI) technologies using the MIDREX Process. Unlike traditional blast furnace production, it uses natural gas instead of coke, resulting in significantly lower emissions.
Shukhrat Ibragimov, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ERG, stated that the project fully aligns with the President of Kazakhstan’s announced priority for the country to produce high-value-added products that are competitive in both domestic and international markets. “Together with our partners, we are establishing a modern, environmentally friendly production facility – one that brings in advanced technologies, reduces the carbon footprint, creates employment opportunities, and contributes to the development of skilled human capital. Signing the contract with the consortium of Midrex Technologies and Primetals Technologies — global leaders in their respective fields — is a strategic step aiming to further modernize the country’s economy and expand its export potential,” said Ibragimov.
