Saudi Arabia-based Advanced Metal Industries Cluster (AMIC)’s wholly owned subsidiary, Advanced Smelting Industries Company (ASIC), a Tasnee affiliate, has shipped its maiden pig iron cargo, Kallanish notes. This comprised 37,000 tonnes sent to the USA.

The shipment was done from the Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries Port, making ASIC the first pig iron exporter in Saudi Arabia, according to a statement.

Tasnee Metallurgy executive vice president Dr Fadi Trabzouni says: "This shipment is a significant achievement for the company and is considered a historic moment in the development of this strategic industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the first producer and exporter in the Middle East.”

ASIC owns a titanium smelter in Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries. The ilmenite-processing plant can produce up to 500,000 tonnes/year of titanium slag and up to 235,000 t/y of high-purity pig iron as a co-product.

It has had various technical problems since the original engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract was signed in 2012, and only began production this year.

Earlier this year, AMIC and technology supplier Metso Outotec came to a settlement agreement on the project, and entered into a contract to evaluate and finalise the required enhancements to the furnaces (see Kallanish passim). Furnace 2 is expected to be commissioned in 2025.

US chemicals company Tronox has an option to acquire 90% of ASIC if the plant achieves certain production criteria.