NLMK's Environmental Upgrade Project Wins Gold Award at Metal-Expo 2020

NLMK Group, a Metal-Expo regular exhibitor, a global steel company, was awarded the gold medal of the 26th international industrial exhibition Metal-Expo 2020 for the construction of a dry slag cooling complex at NLMK Lipetsk. Implemented as part of NLMK’s ongoing environmental upgrade, the project enabled a 3.5x reduction in hydrogen sulfide emissions in the covered area.

Previously, water was used for blast furnace slag cooling. When hot slag reacts with water, hydrogen sulphide is released. Despite the fact that the average content of this substance in the city air is several times below the maximum permissible concentration, the smell itself was a source of discomfort for residents of nearby areas. The new system completely eliminates the need to use water and, consequently, the smell, and significantly reduces the content of hydrogen sulfide in the city air.

The complex was built in place of a slag dump. Close to 6 million tonnes of slag and other by-products that had been accumulated since the 1990s, were processed and more than 500,000 tonnes of iron was returned into the pig iron and steel production process in the course of the project. The remaining material was used in the construction of the complex itself and other facilities.

Investment in the project exceeded RUB 2 billion.