July Steel Billet Production Begins as Qingshui's Zimbabwe Project Starts Pig Iron Production

Manhize, Zimbabwe - June 22, 2024 - A subsidiary of Zhejiang-based private enterprise Tsingshan Holding Group, Dingxin Steel Company (DISCO), has commenced pig iron production in Manhize, central Zimbabwe, marking a milestone in the revival of the country's steel industry.

"The start of the first phase of iron production in Manhize is indeed a very joyful moment," said Winston Chitando, Minister of Mines and Mining Development, in an interview with Xinhua after visiting the DISCO factory on Thursday.

Pig iron, also known as crude iron, is the direct product of blast furnaces and is refined to produce steel, wrought iron, or high-purity iron.

The pig iron production that began last week has laid the foundation for steel billet production, which is expected to start next month.

Chitando stated that DISCO is expected to produce 600,000 metric tons of carbon steel in the first phase of the project, increasing to 1.2 million tons annually in the final phase, then to 3.2 million tons, and ultimately reaching 5 million tons.

This development is a testament to the cooperation between China and Zimbabwe. "Zimbabwe and China have a long-term political relationship, and now our economic relationship has solidified this political relationship," he said.

Wilfred Motsi, Project Director of Dinson Group, said this development marks a huge milestone for Zimbabwe's manufacturing industry. "We will return to our glorious era when Zimbabwe was known as one of the industrial centers of southern Africa due to the opening of the steel industry," said Motsi. "We are no longer talking about the death of Zimbabwe's steel industry. Yes, there are some players there, but their production scale is very small, but our arrival means we have revitalized Zimbabwe's steel industry."