Metso heralds landmark DRI deployment in Turkiye

Metso says the first commercial-scale delivery of its direct reduced iron, or DRI, smelting furnace technology in Turkiye is a landmark in industrial deployment of the next-generation smelting technology.

Turkish metals and fertiliser producer Eti Bakir is spending €55 million on a Metso DRI smelting furnace and rotary kiln process equipment. The company is reportedly investing about €170 million at its Mazidagi integrated fertiliser and metal production site, in Mardin province, to produce pellet iron.

Metso said its “integrated solution” was designed to convert leach residue into valuable iron and slag products “while supporting Eti Bakir’s objective to effectively utilise side streams at the Mazidagi site”.

“The solution combines Metso’s thermal treatment and smelting technologies to convert leach residue into molten hot metal,” the Finnish manufacturer said.

“The delivery scope includes basic and equipment engineering as well as supply and advisory services for an SL/RN Xtra rotary kiln pellet direct reduction process integrated with a 30 MVA Metso Outotec DRI Smelting Furnace. The system includes a hot feeding system for the DRI smelter.”

Metso minerals Europe and Turkiye vice president Alexy Strikha said Metso had delivered a beneficiation plant, calcination plant, off-gas cleaning plant, sulfuric acid plant and metal recovery leaching plant at Eti Bakir’s Mazidagi site, which hosts five main factories and 12 auxiliary production facilities and is described by its owner as “the largest private sector investment in eastern and southeastern Anatolia” after a US$1.2 billion capital spend.

“We are pleased to continue our long-standing collaboration with Eti Bakir in this ambitious project,” Strikha said.

“This is a significant milestone for Metso as it marks the first commercial-size delivery of our DRI smelting furnace technology.

“The project demonstrates how our integrated thermal processing and pyrometallurgical technologies can help customers recover more value from complex materials while reducing waste streams.

“It is also an important benchmark for the industry, showing how innovative DRI smelting technology can unlock new value from industrial residues and support more sustainable metals production.”

Mazidagi general manager Bekir Kan said reprocessing leach residue into iron and slag products would strengthen the site’s standing as a “pioneering zero-waste industrial complex in Turkiye”.