International Conference “ITmk3® Family” was held in Kiev, Ukraine on April 3, 2009.

It was the 2nd International Conference on the ITmk3® Process organized by Hares Engineering, Austria and Kobe Steel, Japan in Ukraine. The 1st International Conference on New Iron Making Technology was held on March 21, 2007 by Hares Engineering, Austria, and Kobe Steel, Japan, in partnership with Metinvest Holding, Ukraine.

74 participants representing 27 companies from 9 countries as well as representatives of the Ministry of Industrial Policy of Ukraine took part in the Conference.

The conference participants included ITmk3®-related companies from different industries:

• Inventor and Developer of the ITmk3 Process: Kobe Steel Ltd., Japan
• One of the developers of the project documentation of the first commercial ITmk3® Plant in the USA: Midrex, USA
• One of the Designers of the first commercial ITmk3® Plant in India: Mukand, India
• Design and Research organizations like: Hatch, Canada; Kuttner, Germany; UrkGiproMez, GiproProm, Ukraine; GiproMez, Russia, etc.
• Potential Manufacturers of ITmk3® Plant equipment: Midrex, USA; Chugai Ro, Japan, etc.
• Customers of ITmk3® projects: SBS Steel, Kazakhstan; Aricom, Eurochem, ОМК, Russia; МЕТИНВЕСТ, Ukraine.

The Complimentary Address from the Minister of Industrial Policy of Ukraine, Mr. Volodimir .S. Novitsky has opened the Conference.

The following reports were delivered:

• “Iron Nuggets and its Impact on Prices and Supply Of Steel” by Dr. Takuya Negami, Kobe Steel Ltd, Japan
• “Current State of the Industry and Prospects of New Ore Treatment Processes Development by Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises of Ukraine” by PhD, Prof, Serhiy G. Grishenko, Deputy Minister of Industrial Policy of Ukraine
• “Methodology and Results Iron Making Technology Selection for Specific Site Conditions” by PhD Yakov Gordon, Hatch Ltd., Canada
• “New Horizons in the Business with ITmk3® Process. Iron Production Using the Concentrate of Oxidized Iron Ore Within One Technological Process” by Mr. Razaz Younes, Managing Director of Hares Engineering GmbH, Austria,
• "MIDREX and Support of ITmk3® Technology" by Mr. Stephen Montague, Vice President, Commerce and Technology of Midrex, USA,
• “History of the ITmk3® Project of SBS Steel Company” by Mr. Marat Y. Ibragimov, Technical Director of SBS Steel, Kazakhstan,
• “Relations of OAO “Aricom” with the ITmk3® Process (Form Retrospective To Perspective)” by Mr. Yuriy V. Makarov, General Director of Aricom, Russia
• “Development Of ITmk3® Technology and Iron Ore” by Dr. Isao Kabayashy, Kobe Steel Ltd, Japan.

The implementation of Third Generation Direct Iron Reduction Technology ITmk3® (Iron-Making Technology Mark Three) has been discussed at the Conference, including the experience of constructing the plant and practical results of ITmk3® process application at the Demonstration Plant in Mesabi, USA, effectiveness of the direct iron reduction technology and its attractions for potential investors, the value of implementing innovative processes at mining and metallurgical enterprises.

In the course of the discussion the issue of establishing an international ITmk3® association was considered.

REPORT THESES of International Conference “ITmk3® Family”