The order for the planned Zhong Tian plant includes the engineering and design of the indurating system, engineering of the process gas fan system, and the supply of proprietary equipment, instrumentation and control systems.

Financial details of the deal, which also includes supervisory services and technical training, were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased to have been awarded this contract. The plant, which will be the fifth large iron ore pelletising plant delivered by Metso Outotec in China, is based on our environmentally sound travelling grate technology," said Tobias Stefan, vice president, Ferrous & Heat Transfer business line at Metso Outotec.

The company's travelling grate technology uses a green balling section where, after the mixing stage, green pellets are formed either by rolling on discs or in drums.

The drums use a two-stage process where undersized pellets are returned to the drum via a roller screen, while discs using a single process step to discharge pellets from the disc rim within a very narrow size range. 

The process ensures uniform pellets are created with the desired metallurgical and physical properties.

Pellet production at the Zhong Tian plant is scheduled to start by the end of 2021.