NLMK has begun the assembly of BF-7 steel structures at its main site in Lipetsk. The new production facility, with capacity of 3.4 million tonnes of hot pig iron per year, is the first to be constructed in Russia for 20 years.

The design of Blast Furnace No.7 incorporates the most up-to-date technical solutions for high performance, resource saving and largely automated pig iron production. The impressive economic and environmental characteristics of this project are achieved by implementing new technologies, such as the pulverized coal injection system, high-efficiency dedusting systems, and closed water and sludge removal circuits. The slag generated in the production of the pig iron will be processed into raw materials for construction.

The BF basement  is almost complete . By the end of this year NLMK plans to install the furnace shell, refractories, casthouse steel structures with hoisting gear, blast-furnace burden supply systems, gas cleaning equipment, main pipelines and power supply systems. Stoves, exhaust air cleaning systems and other equipment will be partially constructed.

The construction of the new blast furnace will make use of  75,000 tonnes of steel structures, 25,000 tonnes of refractories and 40,000 tonnes of process equipment, made by  Paul Wurth (Luxemburg) and UZTM (Yekaterinburg).  Some equipment will be manufactured by NLMK’s own Repair & Maintenance Service.

The project is being implemented as part of Phase 2 of NLMK’s Technical Upgrade Program. Total investment in the project amounts to RUR 21.6 billion. The facility is expected to be commissioned in late 2012.