Hertha Metals, founded by MIT alumna Laureen Meroueh, invented and demonstrated the first single-step steelmaking technology using natural gas and electricity to produce steel and high-purity iron for magnets cost-effectively.

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Hertha Metals has developed a single-step steelmaking process that uses natural gas and electricity to produce steel directly from iron ore of any grade. The technology eliminates traditional blast furnaces and coking plants, reducing energy use by 30% and cutting costs by 25% compared to conventional US steel mills. The company operates a 1-ton-per-day pilot plant in Texas and plans a 10,000-ton annual production facility by 2027, which will also produce high-purity iron for permanent magnets. This innovation could help the US reduce its reliance on steel imports and onshore critical materials for defense and infrastructure.

A new way to make steel could reduce America’s reliance on imports