Mikhailovsky HBI

History

2025: Plant Construction Begins

Metalloinvest began the construction of the Mikhailovsky HBI metallurgical enterprise for the production of hot briquetted iron in the Kursk region. Investments in the project will amount to ₽80,5 billion. The ceremony of laying the time capsule at the construction site took place on July 17, 2025.

According to Abireg, the event was attended by the interim governor of the region, Alexander Khinshtein, and representatives of the investor. The acting head of the region stressed that investors continue to implement the planned projects despite the difficult situation in the region. Alexander Khinshtein said in his telegram channel that they plan to open a commemorative capsule for future generations in 2050.

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Фото: abireg.ru

The metallurgical enterprise is planned to be commissioned in 2028. Over 400 people will be employed at the new plant. The raw material base for the production of hot briquetted iron will be pellets from the pelletizing factory of the Mikhailovsky Mining and Processing Plant, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the facility under construction.

Metalloinvest Holding is a leading producer of iron ore in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. As of the end of June 2024, 100% of the holding's shares were owned by YuSeM Metalloinvest LLC. The structure of the company includes Mikhailovsky Mining and Processing Plant, Lebedinsky GOK and Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant.

Hot briquetted iron is a direct reduction product of iron ore, which is formed into dense briquettes at a temperature of about 650 degrees Celsius immediately after production. The production process involves the reduction of iron ore in specialized plants using reducing gases - hydrogen or natural gas.

The main field of application of hot briquetted iron is the metallurgical industry, where it is used in electric steelmaking furnaces as high-quality metal raw materials. The material serves as an alternative to or is used as an additive to scrap metal. In blast furnace production, HBI is sometimes used as a component of the charge.^[1]

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