PJSC ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih summed up the results of its investment program implementation in 2017. Capital and operating expenditures increased by 48% YoY, from UAH 6.1 billion to UAH 9 billion. This money was spent on new facilities construction and equipment capital repairs, as well as environment improvement.
Last year the company started construction of two new continuous casting machines (CCM Nos. 2 and 3). Each of these casters will have capacity of producing 1.4 million tons of billets per year (capacity of existing CCM No. 1 is 1.2 million tons) and a wider range of products (the plant will be able to produce 150×150 mm and 130×130 mm section billets). The construction on site has already progressed, steel structures installation is ongoing, and equipment supplier has been fixed – SMS Group. The new machines are to be commissioned by the end of 2018.
Reconstruction of coke oven batteries Nos. 5 and 6 is in the final stage. In fact, the company is constructing new batteries and it is the only company in this country that does it. Battery No. 6 achieved the designed coking period in July 2017 and battery No. 5 was put on the heating up mode in mid-December 2017, it is going to be commissioned in March-April. The objective of this project is to increase the amount of own coke and coke oven gas production (to reduce natural gas and coke supplies share), and to reduce emissions as well. The capacity of new batteries is 1 million 60 thousand tons per year.
Last year reconstruction of the company’s second block of BOFs (Nos. 4, 5, 6) was completed. During this reconstruction new gas cleaning plants were installed. Except for emissions reduction, this project made it possible to reduce water and power consumption, tap-to-tap time and increase BOFs yield. Moreover, closed loop system for BOF gas cooling was implemented at BOF No.4, 5. The similar system will be implemented at BOF No. 6 in Q1. Reconstruction of the first BOFs block (Nos. 1, 2, 3) will take place in 2018-2021. The project presupposes the construction of new gas cleaning plants.
PJSC ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih keeps modernizing Sinter Shop No. 2 in order to reduce the company’s environmental footprint, increase its yield and reliability of equipment. In 2016 sinter machine No. 6 was revamped, in 2017 – sinter machine No. 5 (now under commissioning). New aspiration system was installed and gas-cleaning plants were replaced, more efficient (dry-type) dust collection system with ESPs is used at each machine. As a result, the emissions were reduced by 500 tons at each sinter machine.
In 2017 the construction of one more important facility – the first stage of new tailing pond “Tsentralnoye” – was completed. The purpose of this specific hydrotechnical structure is to store the wastes of beneficiation process. The new facility was constructed following international and state standards – using modern technologies, certified equipment and materials, which mitigate the environmental footprint at adjacent territory. As for two other tailing ponds – “Mirolyubovskoye” and “Obyedinyonnoye” – the works for extending their capacity are being performed now and will continue in 2018 as well.
The investment program of 2017 included large-scale upgrade of mining equipment as well. Last year the company purchased 11 new BelAZ trucks, each with carrying capacity of 136 tons. And in total, during last two years, the company purchased 22 heavy trucks, so now its fleet is half-upgraded. Moreover, overhaul of five CATs, two BelAZs, five bulldozers, loading truck, land leveler and others machinery was completed.
The re-equipment of separation and filtration facilities was launched at beneficiation plants. The project on implementation of separate ore beneficiation from the open pits No. 2 and No. 3 helped to significantly improve a range of key indicators: reduce the content of moisture and silicon in concentrate, and increase Fe content by 0.5% versus basic level. Moreover, this project did not require any investments. In future, the company is planning to keep increasing concentrate production to cover its own needs and increase the export of concentrate.
In 2018 PJSC ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih will continue implementation of its investment program and modernization of its structural subdivisions. The total investments in production development will make $1.2-1.5 billion by 2020. (AMKR/Ukrainian metal)