Explosion at Kazakh FeSi Plant Injures Eight Workers

On July 20, a furnace explosion at the YDD ferro-silicon and microsilica production plant in Karaganda injured eight workers, as reported by state-run newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda and various sources. The explosion occurred in one of the plant's four operational furnaces. The extent to which the explosion has impacted production remains unclear.

Among the eight injured workers, six have been admitted to intensive care.

A commission has been established to investigate the cause of the incident. Authorities have also launched a criminal investigation into potential violations of labor production regulations.

YDD, which has a nameplate capacity of 240,000 t/yr of ferro-silicon, 10,000 t/yr of ferrosilicon slag, and 18,000 t/yr of microsilica, is not believed to have been operating at full capacity, according to trade data.

A European trader told Metalnomist that the explosion is unlikely to impact ferro-silicon prices or availability in Europe.

YDD is a relatively new player in the ferro-silicon industry. The company's first furnace began operations in mid-2019, and the fourth furnace was launched in 2022.