U.S. Looks to $4.5 Billion in Metals and Minerals Project Kickoffs in First Quarter

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Industrial Info is tracking $4.5 billion in medium- and high-probability (70-99% chance of kicking off as planned) projects in the U.S. Metals & Minerals Industry that are planned to begin construction in first-quarter 2021. Grassroot projects and plant expansions account for about half of the investment.

Click on the image at right for a graph showing U.S. Metals & Minerals medium- and high-probability project kickoff activity in first-quarter 2021, by market region.

U.S. Steel Corporation (NYSE:X) (U.S. Steel) (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) expects the $1 billion expansion at its Mon Valley Steel Works Plant in Pennsylvania to resume construction in March, after being delayed since March 2020 due to COVID-19 precautions and market conditions. The project involves construction of a cutting-edge, endless casting and rolling facility, and completion is expected June 2022. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report and November 2, 2020, article - U.S. Steel Focuses on Positive Outlook for Flat-Rolled Steel After Harsh Third Quarter.

In Arkansas, Flack Steel Limited will kick off construction in January on a grassroot coil coating and processing plant in Osceola, which will add pre-painted steel and aluminum coil production capabilities to Big River Steel's adjacent flat rolling mill. U.S. Steel has announced plans to acquire the remaining majority stake in Big River Steel. For more information, see Industrial Info's report on the Osceola project, and Big River Steel's flat rolling mill.

The Rocky Mountain region leads all U.S. regions in terms of investment, with $1.1 billion. Ciner Group (Istanbul, Turkey) subsidiary Ciner Wyoming LLC's $425 million Big Island trona mine and soda ash plant expansion in Green River, Wyoming, will increase trona production by 2.2 million tons per year, and soda ash production by 1.1 million tons per year. Kickoff is scheduled for January, with completion in December 2022.

Tintina Montana Incorporated, a subsidiary of Sandfire Resources NL (Perth, Western Australia), expects to kick off construction in March of a copper mine and mill in White Sulphur Springs, Montana. When complete, the mine will produce 100,600 tons per year of copper concentrate and 1.2 million tons per year of copper ore. For more information, see Industrial Info's reports on the Big Island and White Sulphur Springs projects.

The Mid-Atlantic region accounts for a little more than $1 billion in first-quarter kickoffs, including Pratt & Whitney's (East Hartford, Connecticut) $650 million grassroot casting foundry in Asheville, North Carolina, for the production of turbine airfoils. Kickoff is expected in January, with completion in January 2022. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

American Materials Company (Wilmington, North Carolina), a subsidiary of Summit Materials (NYSE:SUM) (Denver, Colorado), expects to kick off a grassroot limestone quarry and processing plant in Andrews, South Carolina in February or March, with completion in December. The facility will produce 500 tons per day of limestone. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

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