The Algerian authorities have reached an agreement with Dubai-based Emarat Dzayer Group to launch a joint venture to relaunch the mill of El Hadjar, in the Annaba area, Kallanish learns from sources.

The new company, named Emarat Dzayer Steel, in which Algerian public companies have a controlling, 51% stake, plans to set up in the next two years a direct reduced iron-based steelworks at the site. This will produce rail, sections, bars and tubes using new mills as well as existing lines from the facilities formerly controlled by ArcelorMittal Annaba.

The new plant should be able to produce at full capacity some 1.3 million tonnes/year of crude steel, Kallanish understands. Emarat Dzayer Steel has set up a website with details of the project, but a further comment from the company was not forthcoming prior to press deadline.

The integrated El Hadjar complex has long been suffering from low output. In 2015 ArcelorMittal gave back full control of the mill to the local government which restarted the plant's blast furnace during 2017 but have continued to postpone the full relaunch of the mill's potential.