The Bolivian ministry of mining has resumed construction works at its Empresa Siderúrgica Mutún (ESM) iron ore and steelmaking complex. Works were first expected to resume in March this year, as reported by SteelOrbis.
The minister of mining, Ramiro Villavicencio Niño de Guzmán, blamed the former president for the 15-month delay. Guzmán said construction works should now finish in 2023, with the plant’s start-up expected to late-2023.
Earlier this year, the Bolivian government said construction works could be completed by late 2022. Construction works were first expected to begin in 2017 but were then postponed for June 2018.
Sinosteel commenced preliminary works in the area in July 2018. The complex should have a 650,000 mt/year capacity iron ore concentration plant, out of which it will produce 400,000 mt/year of pellets and 250,000 mt/year of sponge iron.