Rio Tinto to invest $143 million to test low-carbon ironmaking
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Rio Tinto plans to invest $143 million in developing a research and development facility in Western Australia. It aims to assess further the effectiveness of its low-carbon ironmaking process, BioIron, to support decarbonizing the global steel value chain.
Through a press release, BioIron said, “The development of the BioIron Research and Development Facility in the Rockingham Strategic Industrial Area, south of Perth, follows successful trials of the innovative ironmaking process in a small-scale pilot plant in Germany.”
BioIron utilizes raw biomass and microwave energy to convert Pilbara iron ore into metallic iron, replacing coal in the steelmaking process. By incorporating renewable energy and leveraging the rapid growth of biomass for carbon circulation, BioIron can potentially reduce carbon emissions by up to 95% compared to traditional blast furnace methods.
Simon Trott, CEO of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, said, “The world needs low-carbon steel to reach Net-Zero, and we are working to make this a reality by finding better ways to turn our Pilbara ores into steel.”
Read more: Rio Tinto and BHP move towards Net-Zero with electric truck trials in Pilbara
The BioIron facility will feature a pilot plant that is ten times larger than its predecessor in Germany. This marks the first instance of testing the innovative steelmaking process at a semi-industrial scale, which can produce one tonne of direct reduced iron per hour. The facility will gather essential data to evaluate the feasibility of scaling up the technology to a larger demonstration plant.
Roger Cook, Western Australian Premier, added, “Our plan to turn WA into a renewable energy powerhouse opens up massive economic opportunities for the future, like producing low-emission steel right here at home.”
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