HBI is DRI mechanically compressed at high temperature (above 650°C) into pillow-shaped briquettes, with minimum density of 5g/cm3. Hot briquetting of DRI closes internal pores of the material, lowers the accessible surface to oxidants, increases the apparent density and improves thermal conductivity, all of which reduce the DRI reactivity. Thanks to these properties, HBI is a stable product for long term storage and ocean shipping, therefore it’s the preferred DRI form for merchant market applications. HBI doesn’t require any particular precaution for handling and can be treated as steel scrap.