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Hertha Metals is advancing a new steel production method that utilizes natural gas and electricity, aiming to reduce America's reliance on steel imports. Operating a pilot plant in Houston, Texas since late 2024, the company’s continuous electric arc furnace can produce molten steel from any grade of iron ore, eliminating the need for traditional coking and sintering processes.

This new method reportedly cuts production costs by 25% and energy use by 30% compared to conventional mills. Hertha plans to construct a facility capable of producing 10,000 tons of steel annually by 2027 and aims to meet a quarter of U.S. high-purity iron demand for magnets by 2030, with a full-scale plant targeting 500,000 tons of steel production annually.