Securing U.S. Steel: North American Iron's Plan for Domestic Pig Iron Production

North American Iron will be the United States' first domestic producer of merchant pig iron, says CEO Jim Bougalis. Bougalis spoke to Mining Stock Daily's Michael McCrae at PDAC 2026 convention in Toronto. North American Iron plans to enter the U.S. merchant pig iron market, which currently relies on imports. North American Iron, alongside its sister company Calumet Reclamation Company, intends to reclaim legacy iron ore from the Hill Annex Mine in Minnesota without initiating new mining operations. This material will be transported by rail to a proposed facility in Minot, North Dakota. The North Dakota plant is designed to use a Tenova hydrogen-based reactor to produce 2 million metric tonnes of pig iron annually. According to the company, this process is projected to reduce carbon emissions by 96% compared to conventional blast furnaces. North Dakota was selected as the processing site to utilize the region's natural gas resources and carbon sequestration capabilities. With permitting underway, the company is preparing for detailed engineering and construction, targeting production by 2029.