TEHRAN- Production of sponge iron in Iran rose 12 percent during the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20) compared to the first quarter of the previous year.

As reported by IRNA, over 8.213 tons of sponge iron has been produced in the first quarter of the present year.

Sponge iron output also increased 16 percent to 661,466 tons in the third Iranian calendar month Khordad (May 21-June 20) compared to the third month in the past year.

Iran’s production of sponge iron has climbed six percent to 27.907 million tons in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19), from 26.359 million tons in its preceding year, according to the data released by Iranian Steel Producers Association (ISPA).

The country’s export of sponge iron has also risen 77 percent in the past year.

Meanwhile, sponge iron consumption in the country increased four percent to 26.965 million tons from 25.826 million tons on an annual basis.

Three projects each with a capacity of 800,000 tons were launched in the country during the past Iranian year.

The projects were put into operation in the southeastern province of Kerman, South Khorasan Province in east and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Province in the southwest of the country.

Iran is only second to India globally in terms of the volume of sponge iron production. The country is the 10th largest steel producer in the world.

Sponge iron is a metallic product produced through the direct reduction of iron ore in the strong state. It is a substitute for scrap and therefore is mostly applicable in making steel through the secondary route. The procedure of sponge iron making aims to expel the oxygen from iron ore.

MA/MA