Coordination Meeting: Iron & steel production methods, establishing pulp factories

A coordination meeting on the iron ore producing areas in Myanmar, iron and steel production methods and establishing pulp factories depending on timber and bamboo growing in regions and states was held at the Ministry in Nay Pyi Taw on 16th March.

In the meeting, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than said that Myanmar needs about 3 million tonnes of steel every year but only about 1 million tonnes can be produced in local. That’s why, 2 million tonnes of steel are imported from abroad by spending more than 1 billion foreign currency.

In regard with iron and steel sectors, aiming to reduce the use of foreign currency and to develop iron and steel production, analyzing advantages, disadvantages, challenges and threats and the iron containing in the iron ore, the methods that can be chosen will be reviewed and plans to be implemented will be discussed.

The Union Minister added that pulp mills will be established depending on the wood/bamboo growing in respective regions and state, at the places where water resources cab be accessible easily and places where bamboo/wood raw materials can be easily transported.

The Union Minister called for attendees to give suggestions for drafting plans to establish steel factories depending on the methods that can be used, availability of necessary and related raw materials, providing energy and fuel and to establish pulp factories and mills by using wood and bamboo raw materials. 

Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi said that the availability of iron ore and related raw materials for the construction of steel mills in the regions and states will be discussed.

Myanmar imports 200 million USD worth of paper and 2 million USD worth of steels every year. If manufacturings are made by using forest and mineral resources produced from local, the foreign exchange will be saved and import substitution will be carried out. In order to build paper mills and pulp mills, there are 69.6 million hectares of bamboo production area in Myanmar.

Measures will be carried out in accordance with the procedures for establishing plantations. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation will fulfill the needs of the Ministry of Industry for establishing steel mills and paper and pulp factories.

The Managing Directors reported on the iron ore producing areas in Myanmar, iron and steel manufacturing methods, plans to establish steel mills, extraction of forest and mineral resources for establishing steel mills and paper and pulp factories. Attendees asked about they would like to know and the Union Minister then gave a concluding remark.