October 12, 2008

Qatar Steel’s Mauritania JV to begin production in 2011

The Peninsula reported that DR pellet project in Mauritania, a JV in which Qatar Steel is a major partner, is expected to begin production in 2011.

Mr John Bylsma executive director of Sphere Investments Limited while addressing the 8th International Arab Iron and Steel Conference said that the work on the project began in 2001 and now hydro geological research and final feasibility study have been completed. The Quelb el Aouj project is located close to a high quality iron ore deposit in Mauritania and it envisages producing 7 million tonnes of directly reduced pellets for 30 years.

Mr Frank Griscom executive director of Hot Briquetted Iron Association said that steel consumption is expected to grow faster in the Middle East over the next 5 years with the GCC leading the region. He added that as many as 27 steel projects came on stream in the region in 2007 and 97 more are expected to be commissioned by 2010.

Mr Ahmed Sidi Mohamed senior official from Mauritania’s vibrant iron ore mining industry said that it sits over a massive four billion tonnes of iron ore deposits. He added that the iron ore deposits were first discovered in Mauritania during World War II and exports began in 1963. The high-quality iron ore deposits are located in the northern province of Tiris. The region has thus earned the epithet ‘the Iron Ore Province’.