United States Steel Celebrates Opening of DR-Grade Pellet Production Facility in Minnesota
KEEWATIN, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– U. S. Steel (NYSE: X) (“U. S. Steel”) today celebrated the launch and operational readiness of its direct reduced (DR)-grade pellet production facility at its Minnesota Ore Operations-Keetac Plant. Having already confirmed the first shipment of DR-grade pellets, the Keetac facility is on track to deliver approximately four million tons of pellets annually.
The $150 million investment marks a step forward in U. S. Steel’s metallics strategy by supplying the increasingly tight DR-grade pellet market with low-cost iron ore and building on the company’s ability to meet customer needs.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz; David B. Burritt, President and CEO of U. S. Steel; Kristen Vake, Executive Director, Iron Mining Association of Minnesota; and Travis Kolari, Head of Operations, U. S. Steel Minnesota Ore Operations cut the ribbon on U. S. Steel’s new DR-Grade pellet plant. (Photo: Business Wire)
The new production facility will maintain optionality, able to produce either DR-grade iron ore pellets or blast furnace iron ore pellets, allowing the Company to adjust to changing market conditions.
Link to press release