The first phase of China Northern Rare Earth Green Smelting Upgrade Project, undertaken by Beijing Shougang Construction Group No. 2 Metallurgical Construction Engineering Branch, has been completed and put into operation. This marks the official launch of the world’s largest rare earth materials production base. The project was another contribution made by Beijing Shougang Construction Group to the “breakthrough action” of national key strategic breakthrough initiative resource bases and a new Shougang scenario in Chinese-style modernization.

China Northern Rare Earth Green Smelting Upgrade and Transformation Project represents the largest investment, most advanced technology, and highest level of green development in the history of Baogang’s rare earth division. It is a nationally significant rare earth materials industrial base strategically positioned to become the world’s largest producer of rare earth raw materials.

Commenced in 2023, the project was completed within just over a year, with key milestones including the installation of the first prefabricated column, the main plant building’s roofing, equipment foundation and flooring, equipment installation, individual unit commissioning, and hot commissioning, and the start of production. To date, 51 overall milestones and 17 monthly-visualized milestones have been completed, representing a 100% overall milestone completion. 

The construction team imposed rigorous process control and prioritized construction efficiency to ensure that all milestones are met as scheduled with satisfactory quality. Targeting “first-class efficiency, planning, design, construction, safety, and management,” a detailed action plan titled Key Task List for China Northern Rare Earth Green Smelting Upgrade and Transformation Project in 2023-2024 was formulated, outlining 50 key tasks across eight areas with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Technical bottlenecks were solved through a rigorous “study, discussion, and resolution” approach. For example, the use of steam generators and diesel air heaters significantly shortened concrete curing, ensuring both concrete quality and on-site energy saving and environmental goals. In combination with safety activities during the project, the construction team organized 33 project safety coordination meetings, 213 joint or dedicated inspections for safety and environmental protection, and identified and addressed 162 hazards to ensure safety, efficiency, and profitability. The project team received the Outstanding Unit Award in the “2024 Safety Competition” of China Northern Rare Earth (Group) High-Tech Co., Ltd. Beijing Shougang Construction Group has been designated as Peer Benchmark of the Industry by Baogang Xichuang Group for rigorous implementation of project specifications and promotion of standardization of on-site safety, environmental protection, civilized construction, and maintenance practices.