Pelletization Units

At Tosyalı Algérie, steel is produced both from scrap and with Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). For the production of steel using Direct Reduced Iron Ore (DRI), iron ores must be formed into 8-18 mm pellets. Pelletized iron is preferred due to its higher iron content and ease of use compared to another iron ore joining process known as chipboard.

The first Pelletization Plant with a capacity of 4 million tonnes was established at Tosyalı Algérie in 2018 to facilitate the pelletization process. As part of the investments constituting the 4th stage of the 5-stage Tosyalı Algérie investment, a new Pelletization Plant with a capacity of 4 million tonnes became operational in 2024.

A brief explanation how the process works is provided to help visualize the process as follows:

To achieve the desired quality, the iron ore arriving at the Pelletization Plant undergoes various chemical, thermal, and mechanical processes. Initially, a granulation process is performed in a humid environment in pans to ensure the coalescence of the material. At this stage, it is crucial that the pellets are formed with a porous structure, as porous pellets play a key role in triggering chemical reactions directly in the reduction unit.

Following the ore compaction process, the pellets are cooked in furnaces to enhance cohesion and adhesion and to remove unwanted materials. After this stage, the iron ore is ready for direct reduction, and the pellets are sent to the DRI Plant.