May 10 – 15, 2026
This Ironmaking course offers a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth view of blast furnace theory, operation, and best practices.
Lectures are given by acknowledged experts in their fields coming from diversified backgrounds and global experience. It is an invaluable course for managers, operators, engineers, researchers, or anyone involved in supplying equipment, materials or raw materials to the ironmaking industry.
There is a broad range of topics covered, ranging from blast furnace design, reactions, day-to-day operation, operation during challenging conditions, campaign extension strategies, safety aspects, and many more. In addition to the lectures, further learning and networking opportunities are gained through open discussions, training exercises/simulations, and a plant tour of a local ironmaking facility.
For more information, contact cr_src@mcmaster.ca
Registration
REGISTRATION FOR THE COURSE WILL OPEN IN MID-DECEMBER
Registration fee includes five days of lectures, breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks, electronic version of lecture notes, welcome reception, dinner banquet, and commemorative shirt!
Fee
Up to March 31, 2026: $2,150 CAD
Beginning April 1, 2026: $2,400 CAD
All lectures (except Wednesday afternoon) will be held in the Michael DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, Room 1110. The course registration desk will be located next to it.
The Blast Furnace Game and Wednesday afternoon lectures will be held in the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC), 3rd floor CIBC Hall.
- Introduction to Ironmaking – TBC, US Steel Corporation
- Historical Development and Principles of the Iron Blast Furnace – Johan van Ikelen, van Ikelen BF consult
- Blast Furnace Reactions – TBC
- Fundamental Principles Applied to Blast Furnace Safety – Shawn Tilbury, ArcelorMittal Dofasco
- Fundamental Principles Applied to Blast Furnace Environment – Fred Post, Algoma Steel Inc.
- Blast Furnace Energy Balance and Recovery: Rules of Thumb – John Busser and Mitren Sukhram, Hatch
- Blast Furnace Design I – Brian Black, SMS group Americas
- Blast Furnace Design II – Guilherme Guidugli, Primetals Technologies USA LLC
- Blast Furnace Design III – Campaign Extension, Salustiano Pinto, Consultant
- Ironmaking Refractories – Floris van Laar, Allied Mineral Technical Services, Inc.
- Iron-Bearing Burden Materials – Renard Chaigneau, Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.
- Blast Furnace Control – Measurement Data and Strategy, Bob Nightingale (Retiree), University of Wollongong and Bluescope Steel
- Maintenance Reliability Strategies in an Ironmaking Facility – Johan van Ikelen, van Ikelen BF consult
- Coke Production for Blast Furnace lronmaking – Ka Wing Ng, NRCAN
- Day-to-Day Blast Furnace Operation – Jason Entwistle, US Steel Corporation
- Challenging Blast Furnace Operations – TBC
- Burden Distribution and Aerodynamics – Joseph Morey, Consultant
- Ironmaking-Steelmaking Relationship – Mike Pomeroy, ArcelorMittal Dofasco
- Fuel Injection in the Blast Furnace – Donald Zuke, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
- Casthouse Practice and Blast Furnace Casthouse Rebuild – Floris van Laar, Allied Mineral Technical Services, Inc.
- Comprehensive Numerical Modeling of the Blast Furnace Ironmaking Process – Samuel Neilson, Purdue University Northwest
- lronmaking in Western Europe – Jan van der Stel, Tata Steel
- Chinese Blast Furnace Practice – Dennis Lu, ArcelorMittal Global Research & Development
- Future Trends in lronmaking – Mitren Sukhram and Ian Cameron, Hatch
- Overview of the DRI Process – Kevin Persad, Nucor
- Transitioning the Iron and Steel Industry Towards a Low-Carbon Future: Climate Change Policies and Approaches – Katie Chan, Stelco
Presented by John Busser and Mitren Sukhram, Hatch
The computer game will be held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with colleagues from all over the world. Delegates have found this to be the highlight of the course. Each group will have a chance to compete to be the lowest hot metal cost producer in the hot metal production competition by using the lecturer information from the course! The game helps the students understand the principles of ironmaking and hot metal quality.
Presented by Sean Crawford, ArcelorMittal Dofasco
The case study exercise is a way to combine the information learned during the course and to put yourself in the position of a Blast Furnace Team member. You will work in a group of 4-5 participants (=fellow Team members), divided randomly, to produce a feasible solution, exactly as you would in a real Blast Furnace Chilled Hearth situation. The Blast Furnace Case Study will include the following tasks: investigation of the situation, understanding of the information provided, identifying the cause of the out-of-control event, and identifying control strategies to manage the blast furnace process. The case study is based on a real process situation, and we will look in detail at raw materials quality, furnace equipment condition, tuyere/process parameters and casting practice to come up with final recommendations. In the end, you will be left with words of wisdom that will help you through your future struggles in the real blast furnace world.
It will be a fun but intense week of training, with early-morning starts and late-evening finishes. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to stay on campus in our Les Prince Hall. There are many other benefits as well, like inexpensive rates and common areas where you can socialize with your fellow attendees.
The single occupancy room rate is $110/night + HST. Onsite parking is included with accommodation.
Guests can select a double room (two beds) at the same rate, but please note it’s still designed for single occupancy as only one bed will be prepared.
Please visit the Accommodations Portal to register with a guest account. Select General Registration and enter your group code (BLAST26) to view and reserve accommodation.
Registration will close on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Important: Once payment has been made, please screenshot/print the final confirmation page with your transaction details as this is your official receipt. The same details are not automatically emailed.
Guests can send specific questions to reserve@mcmaster.ca
Organizing Committee
- Derek Gray, (Chair), Stelco
- Christopher DiGiovanni (Secretary), McMaster University
- Neslihan Dogan, McMaster University / Delft University
- John D’Alessio, Stelco
- Jason Entwistle, U.S. Steel Corporation
- Samantha Kandilas, McMaster University
- Joe Poveromo, Raw Materials & Ironmaking
- Husain Tapia, ArcelorMittal Dofasco
- Ron Timmer, Algoma Steel Inc.
- Jan van der Stel, Tata Steel
- Keith Whitely, ArcelorMittal Dofasco
- Donald Zuke, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
- Hatem Zurob, McMaster University