US Steel announced plans to build a direct reduced iron plant at its Big River Steel facility in Arkansas, using DR pellets from Minnesota Ore to supply electric arc furnaces. Spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said the investment positions the mini-mill segment as a leader in sustainable steel production & strengthens domestic supply chain advantages. The project follows Nippon Steel's $14 billion acquisition of US Steel in June. CEO Dave Barrett noted rapid progress in partnership, including multiple growth projects across facilities. The DRI plant will produce clean metallic iron from ore, enabling higher quality steel compared to scrap-based production while generating substantially lower emissions than traditional blast furnaces.