Tag Archives: Myrtle

MCi Carbon progresses carbon capture and utilisation plant at Orica Kooragang Island site

Environmental, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Australian clean technology developer MCi Carbon has, today, held a foundation ceremony for its carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) plant ‘Myrtle’, currently under construction at Orica’s Kooragang Island site.

Funded by a A$14.6 million ($9.7 million) federal government grant, the plant is aimed at scaling up the development and demonstration of an engineering process called mineral carbonation, which transforms captured carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into building products and other valuable materials.

The technology has the potential to provide a cost-competitive solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries globally and contributing to the circular economy, according to MCi Carbon.

Orica Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sanjeev Gandhi, said the project, which is expected to be operational by 2025, aligns with Orica’s sustainability and commercial goals.

“The energy transition requires careful planning and policy coordination between governments, regulators, energy suppliers, consumers and the broader private sector,” he said. “This ceremony today is a great example of business and government working together to drive innovation for a better tomorrow, as we transition towards a lower carbon future, together.

“We are proud to partner with MCi Carbon, industry, academia and the government as they scale this important technology.”

The CCU plant will source its CO2 directly from Orica’s ammonia manufacturing facility, capturing around 1,000 t of the greenhouse gas annually. In addition to supplying the feedstock, Orica has supported the project by providing land, access to utilities and significant technical expertise.

Partnering with MCi Carbon is the latest example of Orica’s commitment to decarbonising its operations. Recently, the company completed a A$37 million project to install tertiary abatement technology on the Kooragang Island site’s three nitric acid plants, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50%. That equates to 11% of all chemical process across Australia.

The tertiary abatement project will continue to eliminate 567,000 t of CO2 equivalent from the site each year, which is equal to the emissions from 50,000 homes.

RHI Magnesita to use MCi Carbon’s CCUS technology at refractory operations

Environmental, Industrial minerals, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

MCi Carbon, an Australian clean technology platform, has commenced preliminary engineering work for its first industrial large-scale plant in collaboration with refractories leader RHI Magnesita.

Alongside an additional multi-million-dollar investment from RHI Magnesita, this accelerates MCi Carbon’s mission to scale-up and commercialise its carbon capture and utilisation technology, the company said.

“This investment marks a pivotal moment for MCi Carbon and underscores the trust our partners place in our transformative technology,” Marcus Dawe, Founder and CEO of MCi Carbon, said. “With RHI Magnesita’s support, we are poised to accelerate our global commercialisation efforts and address the challenges faced by heavy industries in achieving decarbonisation.”

Stefan Borgas, CEO of RHI Magnesita, said: “The partnership with the Australian cleantech startup MCi Carbon is forward-looking and their technological approach is particularly interesting because it combines carbon capture storage and carbon utilisation. This is currently the most promising way for the refractory industry to reduce process emissions.”

Previously, RHI Magnesita signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with MCi to decarbonise components of its operations. This partnership was formed alongside an initial multi-million-dollar investment made in February 2023 in MCi’s carbon capture and utilisation technology. RHI Magnesita will be MCi Carbon’s first global commercial customer.

The investment will facilitate completion of the Myrtle facility, which is currently being constructed in Newcastle, Australia. Once complete, Myrtle will abate over 1,000 t/y of CO2 through customer-focused trial campaigns. The company is scaling its technology to provide decarbonisation pathways for hard-to abate sectors including steel, cement, lime, mining, chemicals and manufacturing.