SAIL's Rs 690-cr Rourkela sinter plant becomes operational

The plant has machine area of 360 sq metre and capacity of 3.8 million tonne per annum

State-owned Steel Authority of India (SAIL) today said a new sinter plant with an investment of Rs 690 crore at its Rourkela facility has commenced production.

"The sinter plant at Rourkela steel facility has become operational. The plant has a machine area of 360 sq metre and capacity of 3.8 million tonne per annum," a SAIL official said.

At a sinter plant iron ore fines and other fine materials are agglomerated at a high temperature enabling them to fuse together to make a single mass without changing much of their chemical properties.

"This is an energy efficient plant with latest waste heat recovery system. It has been established at a cost of Rs 690 crore," he added.

The Sinter plants are part of SAIL's ambitious Rs 72,000 crore modernisation and expansion plan to increase hot metal production capacity from the current 14.6 million tonne per annum to 23.4 million tonne per annum.

"Until recently, orders worth of around Rs 56,000 crore have already been placed and an expenditure of around Rs 35,000 crore has been made," the official said.

In late March, the company had started two rebuilt coke oven batteries at its Bokaro plant at a cost of Rs 500 crore. These are also part of the company's existing expansion plans.