Milestones
- Construction completedOct 2025Complete.
- Hydrogen shaft furnace operational23 Dec 2023Complete.
- First heat of molten steel produced23 Dec 2023Complete.
- Full production line connected (electric furnace + continuous casting)23 Dec 2025Complete.
- Rio Tinto industrial trials completedJun 2026Complete.
- Evaluate scaling to 2-3 Mtpa capacityTarget 2027Not yet reached.
Most important updates
- China Baowu and Rio Tinto complete industrial-scale trials using Pilbara Blend ore in hydrogen direct reduction12 Jun 2026
- Zhanjiang full production line connects, producing near-zero-carbon steel slabs23 Dec 2025
- Zhanjiang hydrogen-based direct reduction facility construction completedOct 2025
- Zhanjiang hydrogen shaft furnace begins operation, produces first molten steel23 Dec 2023
- China Baowu and Rio Tinto sign Memorandum of Understanding on steelmaking decarbonisationJun 2023
Upcoming
- 2027Evaluate scaling to 2-3 Mtpa capacity (next)
- 2027Chinese green steel standards and incentives