US Steel to Build $1.9B DRI Pant

U.S. Steel announced April 29 that it would build a new $1.9 billion direct-reduced-iron facility, the first such plant in the United States, at its Big River Steel Works plant in Osceola, Arkansas. The new facility is expected to create 200 new full-time jobs and 35 full-time embedded contractors.

According to a company statement, the co-location of the DRI facility with USS’s existing electric arc furnaces will eliminate the need to ship DRI to the plant, creating a supply-chain advantage. The company noted the new DRI plant will leverage its 2022 investment into direct-reduced-grade pellet capabilities in its Minnesota Ore Operations Keetac location.

CEO David Burritt said the move would improve the company’s ability to make steel wholly sourced in the United States, and credited Nippon Steel, the Japanese steelmaker that purchased USS in 2025, with accelerating the plan.

 “From iron ore in Minnesota to steel production in Arkansas, this $1.9 billion investment strengthens our ability to create steel that is truly mined, melted, made in America, from start to finish,” Burritt said, in a statement. “By vertically integrating DRI production directly at Big River Steel Works, we enhance efficiency, secure our competitive advantage, and position U. S. Steel for long term success. Our partnership with Nippon Steel helped accelerate this investment years sooner than would have otherwise been possible.”