OREANDA-NEWS. The "Zaporizhstal" Steel Works within the scope the technological strategy of Metinvest, which is directed on ecological upgrading of the enterprises of the Group, starts clearing and preparation of the territory intended for construction of the oxygen-converter plant. The site is located in gulch Markusova (Zaporozhye), in-place of the former dumping site.

The amount of investments into oxygen-converter plant project is over 1,5 billion dollars. Building of the converter plant will allow to the Steel Works to refuse completely from obsolete open-hearth furnace production and considerably to lower industrial loading on environment, the expected reduction of air emissions will compose 25 % from the total emissions of the Steel Works.

"We start realisation of the largest ecological project of upgrading of the "Zaporizhstal" Steel Works" - the construction of the oxygen-converter plant. Changing over to new, ecologically safe and effective production, investments into the project over 1,5 billion dollars, new working places, the modern industrial infrastructure surrounded by a sanitary-protective zone with green plantings, which will appear in position of slag dumps with criminal reputation - all this is global changes to the best not only for the Steel Works and its employees but also for all inhabitants of the region", - pointed out Rostislav Shurma, the CEO of "Zaporizhstal" Steel Works.

The "Metinvest", is the international vertically integrated mining and metallurgical group, which since August 2012 invested over 250 million dollars into ecological upgrading of the "Zaporizhstal" Steel Works. Thus, the sintering machine №1 with modern system of gas purification is build up and put into operation at the "Zaporizhstal" Steel Works. At present, connection of new system of gas purification is going on at the sintering machine №2. Construction of new pickling line CPL-4 in Cold Rolling Shop №1 is completed, thanks to which dumping of process waters from the shop into the river Dnieper is completely stopped, and also emissions of sulphuric acid fumes into atmosphere are reduced on 83 %. Commissioning works on the reconstructed Blast furnace №4, where the newest systems of aspiration of the casting yard and of the stock house come to an end.