Tenova starts up Bolivia’s first Direct Reduced Iron plant for Sinosteel

Tenova HYL has produced the first Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) at Bolivia’s new ENERGIRON Zero-Reformer plant, the company confirmed. According to Tenova, the milestone was reached on 7 October 2025 at the site of Empresa Siderúrgica del Mutún (ESM) in Santa Cruz.

The project is being executed for Sinosteel Equipment and Engineering, the Chinese EPC contractor responsible for delivering the wider industrial complex.

The new ENERGIRON “DR Micro-Module” is Bolivia’s first DRI plant and is designed to produce 250,000 tonnes per year. It uses the Zero-Reformer process jointly developed by Tenova and Danieli. The plant supplies DRI with a metallisation of around 94% and a carbon content of 3–4%, tailored for the steelworks now under construction.

The direct reduction unit is part of a seven-plant integrated complex including concentration, pelletising, DRP, steel mill, rolling mill, power generation and auxiliary units. Once fully operational, the project is expected to cover almost half of Bolivia’s domestic steel demand, according to Tenova.

In a statement, Stefano Maggiolino, President & CEO of Tenova HYL, emphasised the significance of the milestone for the region’s green-steel ambitions: “We are proud to be part of this strategic project together with EMS and Sinosteel and drive the sustainable industrial development of Bolivia.”

He added that the successful start-up was made possible thanks to the team’s technical dedication: “Our team showed commitment to technical excellence, which has made this achievement possible. Thanks to our innovative DRI technology, we are helping shape the future of the region’s green steel industry.”

Source and Photo: Tenova