US Steel has selected direct reduction technology developer Midrex to supply a 2.5 million mt/year HDRI/HBI MIDREX® Plant for its new DRI facility at Big River Steel in Osceola, Arkansas, which is expected to start production in 2029. According to Midrex, the project marks a key milestone for the North American steel industry, as it will be the first DRI facility in the US to integrate with EAF steelmaking and be supported by a domestic DRI-grade pellet supply chain.

New country-by-country quotas reward South Korea's balanced access and Indonesia's hot-rolled position, while Taiwan, China, Vietnam and Turkey face a tighter squeeze once melt-and-pour disclosure rules bite from October 1.

[Molybdenum Flash] SMM July 2: According to SMM data, China's total ferromolybdenum tender volume for steelmaking in H1 2026 was approximately 81,800 mt (including long-term contracts), up approximately 7.3% YoY.

The iron ore market is currently locked in a supply-heavy, demand-weak stalemate. While fundamental pressure is pushing for lower prices, strong resistance from high-cost producers is creating a floor, suggesting a range-bound, sideways treading market for the week ahead. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors: Supply: Global Market Remains Loose Arrivals Surge: This week, iron ore arrivals on China port reached 29.33 million tons, a notable 6% increase both week-on-week and year-on-year. Global shipments to China are arriving steadily and in significant volumes. Persistent Inventory: Port inventories continue to be a significant drag. SMM data places 35-port stocks at ~148 million tons, while more source reports up to 170 million tons. Despite high volumes, there is little to no progress on destocking. Demand: Downstream Weakening, Mills Squeezed External Competition: Downstream steel demand continues to soften. The China domestic market is facing further pressure from low-priced steel billet imports from Indonesia, which are grabbing market share. Profit Squeeze: Steel mills are caught in a vise. Upstream, coal and coke prices remain strong and resilient, while downstream demand is absent, continuously eroding steelmaking profits. Production Cuts Expected: Market sentiment is overwhelmingly pessimistic regarding near-term demand. We anticipate both steel mill purchase intent and molten iron production to move lower in tandem. Spot traders report extreme difficulty in securing profitable transactions. News & Negotiations: Stalled Talks & Tangled Factors The coal and coke sectors continue to trended upward sentiment from breaking news, supporting strong price expectations. Meanwhile, the outcomes of the recent closed-door meeting between major steel mills and traders are split between two major market narratives. Price Floor: Resistance from High-Cost Producers Crucially, the current iron ore price has corrected to a very sensitive level—effectively the cost line for many high-cost mines and a significant psychological support point for traders. Both groups are now actively resisting any further price declines.

Killi Resources acquired an 80% interest in the Lodestone Iron Ore Project in Western Australia. The project currently has an inferred mineral resource of 110 million metric tons and shows potential to produce a high-grade magnetite concentrate (around 69% Fe), which could serve as a low-emission feedstock for EAF and DRI steelmaking.

Nippon Steel has submitted plans to build an electric arc furnace (EAF) at its Košice steelworks in Slovakia. Construction is expected to start in 2027, with operations beginning by 2030. The plant's overall annual steelmaking capacity will remain at 4.5 million metric tons, but the new facility is projected to cut carbon monoxide emissions by 56%.

Driven by global supply-demand restructuring, dual-carbon constraints, and diversified downstream demand, China's silicon industry has entered a critical transition period focused on quality and efficiency improvement. As 2026 serves as a pivotal year bridging past and future industry plans, the sector urgently needs an authoritative platform to assess market trends and connect resources. SMM, deeply rooted in the silicon industry chain, is proud to present the . The event is scheduled for August 27-28, building a high-end exchange platform around core pain points across the entire industry chain. It will join hands with industry experts and leaders to break through cut-throat competition and promote the steady, long-term development of the industry. Ningxia Guochang Industrial Co., Ltd. , as a participating enterprise, sincerely invites you to this grand industry event in Xi'an on August 27-28. now and join industry peers in witnessing the high-quality development of the silicon industry! Booth No.: A01 was established on August 30, 2004. It is a metallurgical material manufacturing enterprise located in Qingtongxia City, Wuzhong, Ningxia. A professional ferroalloy manufacturer, its main products include silicon metal and its by-products, focusing on the R&D, production, and sales of silicon metal products. The company has over 200 employees, covers an area of more than 200 mu (approximately 133,334 m²), with a building area of 50,000 m² and fixed assets of 160 million yuan. Its annual silicon metal production is approximately 24,000 mt. Through the unremitting efforts of its leadership and all employees, it has developed into a well-known enterprise among its peers, making due contributions to the development of China's steel industry. Ningxia Guochang places great emphasis on quality, customization, and customer satisfaction, committed to providing reliable solutions for clients in the global steelmaking, foundry, and infrastructure industries. Main Products Silicon metal 331#, 221#, 3303#, 2205#, and their by-products, focusing on the R&D, production, and sales of silicon metal. The main silicon metal production lines include: Eight medium-frequency furnaces — with an annual capacity of approximately 14,400 mt. Two refining furnaces — with an annual capacity of approximately 40,000 mt. Four Key Guarantees: Source Factory: Direct sales from the manufacturer, transparent pricing, no middlemen. Professional Team: A large-scale silicon metal enterprise integrating production, sales, and logistics. Professional Logistics: Full-load transportation to ensure cargo safety. Inventory Guarantee: Ample spot supply, fast dispatch, and stable delivery. Contact Information Guo Xin 13519553075 Email: nxgc@gcsiliconmetal.com Event Contact Zhou Boyu 13062794772 zhouboyu@smm.cn

【SMM Steel】Nippon Steel is planning to invest in an electric arc furnace (EAF) at its steelworks in Košice, Slovakia, as part of its strategy to reduce carbon emissions and promote greener steel production. The project is expected to cut reliance on traditional coal-intensive steelmaking routes with high CO2 emissions. The investment aligns with the broader transition of the European steel industry toward lower-emission technologies. The EAF adoption is also expected to improve energy efficiency at the Košice plant and strengthen its competitiveness amid increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

Nippon Steel has submitted plans to Slovak authorities to build an electric arc furnace at its Košice steelworks, with annual capacity estimated at 1.5–2.1 million tonnes. The project would replace part of the site’s coal-based production with lower-emission technology, while total steelmaking capacity is expected to remain at 4.5 million tonnes per year. Construction may start in 2027, with operations targeted for 2030.

Luxembourg-based steelmaking conglomerate ArcelorMittal officially finalized a sweeping strategic technology collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate industrial automation across its global production footprint. Under the comprehensive pact, ArcelorMittal will converge its operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) onto AWS infrastructure. By deploying industrial IoT, real-time sensor data mapping, and computer-vision quality control directly to the edge of its production environments, the steelmaker aims to deploy advanced AI digital twins across its physical assets to drastically optimize furnace reliability and reduce energy consumption.