Tag Archives: steel

LKAB selects Hardox 600 for wear steel at iron ore operations

Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mining consumables, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

Looking at a typical mining site, wear steel is used as liners in hoppers, feeders and chutes, as well as for hammers in crushers or in screens for sorting.

Hardox® 600 is, SSAB says, a wear steel that performs well across a surprisingly wide range of abrasive materials, operating requirements and types of equipment, including for iron ore miner LKAB.

Hardox 600 has a nominal hardness of 600 HBW. Despite its hardness, it has a toughness that is rare for such a hard wear steel, according to the company. This gives it outstanding wear resistance, while enabling it to resist impact damage from rocks and other heavy loads. It is also through-hardened, with a minimum core hardness of 90% of the guaranteed minimum surface hardness.

As a major iron ore company, LKAB can’t afford any loss in productivity. Unscheduled downtime can severely impact throughput and, in turn, financial performance. It ships around 30 Mt of iron ore each year from its harbour in Narvik, above the Arctic Circle in Norway.

When LKAB started to experience too many unplanned shutdowns – and unwanted associated costs – it looked for a more durable wear steel for its skips and chutes. That’s why it chose Hardox 600, one of the hardest grades of Hardox steel. Before its decision, LKAB collaborated with SSAB on a performance optimisation project, which ultimately gave it the green light to go ahead with Hardox 600.

Due to the many factors influencing wear life in mining operations, SSAB says it always recommend a thorough assessment by wear specialists. For LKAB, a 600 HBW steel was the best choice. In most wear situations, there is a sweet spot where the wear rate drops significantly if the steel’s hardness is high enough relative to the severity of the abrasive material.

Rio Tinto ups the BioIron ante with new pilot plant in Western Australia

Environmental, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Rio Tinto says it will invest $143 million to develop a research and development facility in Western Australia to further assess the effectiveness of its low-carbon ironmaking process, BioIron™, to support decarbonising the global steel value chain.

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, the company says.

BioIron uses raw biomass and microwave energy instead of coal to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron in the steelmaking process. When combined with the use of renewable energy and carbon-circulation by fast-growing biomass, BioIron has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 95% compared with the current blast furnace method, according to the company.

The BioIron facility will include a pilot plant that will be 10 times bigger than its predecessor in Germany. It will also be the first time the steelmaking process has been tested at a semi-industrial scale, capable of producing one tonne of direct reduced iron per hour. It will provide the required data to assess further scaling of the technology to a larger demonstration plant.

The plant has been designed in collaboration with University of Nottingham, Metso and Western Australian engineering company Sedgman Onyx. Fabrication of the equipment will begin this year, with commissioning expected in 2026. These works are expected to support up to 60 construction jobs.

The research and development facility will employ around 30 full-time employees and include space for equipment testing to support further scaling up of the BioIron technology, while developing a workforce highly skilled in steel decarbonisation and supporting Western Australian universities and research organisations.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive, Simon Trott, 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. BioIron is a world-first technology that has the potential to play a significant role in a low-carbon steel future.

“This research and development facility will further test the BioIron process, showcase Western Australian innovation capability, and further demonstrates Rio Tinto’s commitment to supporting and enabling the decarbonisation of the steel industry.”

Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook, said: “As one of the world’s largest iron ore producers, it just makes sense for WA to lead the world when it comes to low-emission steelmaking. 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.

“Processing iron ore in WA will create jobs, reduce the world’s carbon emissions and help to diversify and strengthen our economy for decades to come. This is another job-creating clean energy project in our industrial heartland of Kwinana and Rockingham, part of our commitment to transitioning the industrial strip to a clean energy future.”

BioIron was invented by Rio Tinto’s steel decarbonisation team after a decade of extensive research. Electricity consumption in the BioIron process is about one-third of the electricity required by other steelmaking processes that rely on renewable hydrogen, according to the company. It uses raw biomass such as agricultural by-products like wheat straw, barley straw, sugarcane bagasse, rice stalks, and canola straw, instead of coal as the reducing agent.

Rio Tinto is aware of the complexities around the use of biomass supply and is working to ensure only sustainable sources of biomass are used, it says. Through discussions with environmental groups, as a first step Rio Tinto has ruled out sources that support the logging of old growth and High Conservation Value forests.

BHP, BlueScope and Rio Tinto to investigate Australia low-carbon steelmaking options

Environmental, Mining industry recognition, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Australia’s two largest iron ore producers, Rio Tinto and BHP, and its biggest steelmaker, BlueScope, have partnered in their efforts to accelerate the decarbonisation of steelmaking by agreeing to jointly investigate the development of the country’s first iron making electric smelting furnace (ESF) pilot plant.

Under a new framework agreement, the companies will consolidate the work each party has completed to date, leveraging both BHP’s and Rio Tinto’s deep knowledge of Pilbara iron ores with BlueScope’s operating experience in ESF technology.

The collaboration provides a platform to develop and potentially invest in a pilot facility and aims to demonstrate that production of molten iron from Pilbara ores is feasible using renewable power when combined with direct reduced iron (DRI) process technology, they said. If successful, it could help open a potential pathway to near-zero greenhouse gas emission-intensity operations for steelmakers that rely on Australian iron ore to meet global steel demand.

The parties will assess several locations in Australia for the proposed pilot facility, and will consider factors like supporting infrastructure, available workforce, access to target industry and supply chain partners, and suitability for operational trials. The prefeasibility study work program is expected to conclude at year-end. If approved, the pilot facility could be commissioned as early as 2027.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive, Simon Trott (right), said: “The carbon intensity of iron and steelmaking requires profound change to meet the needs of our planet and our climate objectives. We must find better ways to enable these materials to be made more sustainably through leveraging technology.

“We firmly believe the best way to tackle a challenge of this scale is through collaboration with industry and importantly this new agreement will leverage the more than two years of work we have already completed with BlueScope on this technology. We are excited to add this partnership to the suite of projects we have underway with our customers and suppliers to find better ways to accelerate their efforts to meet their decarbonisation targets.”

Incoming BHP Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) Asset President, Tim Day (left), said: “We are thrilled to partner with Rio Tinto and BlueScope to progress what we see as a potential breakthrough in reducing carbon emissions from steel production. Collaborations like this are so important for the success of these technologies and build on our work on blast furnace abatement projects, and our ongoing research and development projects with leading steelmakers, research institutes and technology providers around the world.

“Combining our expertise, we hope to help fast track near-zero emission-intensity pathways for steelmakers using Pilbara ores. Technology pathways compatible with renewable energy and scalable to the order of hundreds of millions of tonnes of steel production would be a major step forward in setting up Pilbara ores, and the world, for a low greenhouse gas emission future.”

BlueScope Chief Executive Australia, Tania Archibald (centre), said: “We have a clear vision for BlueScope in Australia as a vibrant, modern and sustainable manufacturer with a clear role to play in enabling Australia’s energy transition. Building a pathway to low emission-intensity iron and steelmaking in Australia is a key priority for our business. We’re excited to be partnering with Rio Tinto and BHP to explore the decarbonisation of the ironmaking process, and leverage the natural advantages of Australia – namely our iron ore resources and the abundant potential for renewable energy.

“We believe DRI is the most prospective technology to decarbonise our Australian business, and the development of ESF technology is key to unlocking Australia’s unique advantages in this decarbonisation journey – and, more importantly, has the potential for wider adaptation across the global steel industry. We believe that this collaboration where we can contribute BlueScope’s unique experience in operating an ESF will be key to cracking the code for Pilbara ores in low emission-intensity ironmaking.”

Metso backs DRI Smelting Furnace tech with investment in pilot facility

Environmental, Mineral processing, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

Metso says it is expanding its testing capabilities by investing €8 million ($8.7 million) to build a state-of-the-art DRI (direct reduced iron) smelting furnace pilot facility.

The pilot plant will be constructed in Pori, Finland, where Metso has one of its major R&D centres serving the minerals and metals industry. The new facility will allow customer-specific, pilot-scale testing to demonstrate the applicability and results of industrial-scale DRI smelting with Metso’s Outotec® DRI Smelting Furnace technology.

Jyrki Makkonen, Vice President, Smelting at Metso, said: “Currently, the iron and steel industry accounts for about 8% of the global carbon dioxide emissions. With the tightening environmental regulations, the industry is looking for new innovations to reduce its carbon footprint. There has been a lot of interest towards the recently launched Metso’s Outotec DRI Smelting Furnace. It substitutes traditional blast furnaces used in iron and steel making, and enables a significant reduction of emissions, when combined with a direct reduction plant.”

Mari Lindgren, Director, Smelting Research & Development at Metso, said: “The investment into the DRI Smelting Furnace pilot facility supports the rapidly increasing customer demand for reliable testing when planning a transition to emissions-free smelting. With the pilot facility, we can reliably test various types of customer materials for industrial scale-up. The construction of this unique facility has started, and we expect to run the first tests and campaigns in the latter part of 2024. Currently, we are serving our customers with smaller scale laboratory tests.”

The new high-capacity Outotec DRI Smelting Furnace, launched in 2022, is one of Metso’s breakthrough technologies and a major Planet Positive solution to support decarbonizing the iron and steel industry.

Combined with a direct reduction plant, Metso’s Outotec DRI Smelting Furnace substitutes traditional blast furnaces in the production of hot metal, making it an optimal solution for primary steel producers aiming for a significant reduction in their CO2 emissions with minimal changes to the rest of the steel plant, Metso says. The furnace can be integrated with Metso’s hydrogen-based Circored™ process or other direct reduction processes.

Vale and Port of Açu sign HBI Mega Hub MoU

Bulk handling, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Vale says it has signed a MoU with the Port of Açu to study the development of a Mega Hub at the port located in São João da Barra in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to produce HBI (hot briquetted iron) using the direct reduction route.

The Mega Hub will initially receive pellets from Vale and could, in the future, include an iron ore briquette plant at site to supply the direct reduction route at the industrial complex.

According to the agreement, both companies will seek to attract investors and clients to build and operate the direct reduction plant using natural gas which will be available at the port, with the possibility of eventually converting to green hydrogen, producing HBI with near-zero carbon emissions.

It is a pioneering initiative that considers a technical study coordinated by the Port of Açu and sectorial academics which proposes the use of HBI as partial burden in blast furnaces, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing steelmaking productivity without needing to substitute existing assets, such as the blast-furnaces and steelworks. Currently, HBI is mostly used in electric arc furnaces. Using HBI in this type of furnace will enable a smoother decarbonisation process for the Brazilian steelmaking industry.

The agreement with the Port of Açu marks another step in the development of Mega Hubs in Brazil. Mega Hubs are industrial complexes designed to produce low-carbon steel products and Vale has already begun implanting such hubs in three countries in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman).

Marcello Spinelli, Executive VP of Iron Ore Solutions, said: “We believe that Brazil has great potential to be a hub for low-carbon steelmaking. We have high-quality iron ore, abundant natural gas reserves and the potential to develop green hydrogen. As a Brazilian company, Vale seeks to partner with ventures that contribute in this direction. We want to be the driving force behind Brazil’s ‘neo-industrialisation’, which will be based on green industry.”

José Firmo, CEO of the Port of Açu, said: “The signing of this partnership demonstrates the full industrialisation potential of the Port of Açu, confirming its vocation as the port of energy transition in Brazil. We believe that the Port of Açu, with its unique port infrastructure in the country, strategic location and potential for the most competitive Brazilian natural gas prices, brings together unique characteristics to, together with Vale, contribute to the decarbonisation of the domestic and international steel industry.”

Albano Vieira, Consultant for steel and mining issues at Prumo, the holding company that develops the Port of Açu, said: “Brazil is one of the most important iron ore and steel producers in the world and Vale is a leading player in this market. The use of HBI in blast furnaces can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 25%, with even greater potential reductions along the chain, which would put the industry in line with the goals of reducing emissions by 2030. With the Port of Açu as the gateway to zero-carbon industrialisation projects, all the conditions and analyses point to the country becoming a major producer of HBI, supplying steel mills all over the world.”

Metso Outotec to deliver concentrate dewatering filters to JISCO in China

Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it has been awarded an order to deliver concentrate dewatering filters for JISCO’s modernisation project in Gansu province, China.

JISCO, ie Jiuquan Iron and Steel (Group) Co., Ltd., is the largest producer of carbon steel and stainless steel in northwest China.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery consists of the engineering, manufacturing and supply of six VPA pressure filters, as well as advisory services for installation and commissioning.

Xun Fang, General Manager of Minerals Sales in Greater China at Metso Outotec, said: “The VPA filter has been developed for reliable high-volume processing in challenging concentrate filtration and tailings processing. It is a perfect fit for JISCO’s application. The VPA filters are one of the most sustainable filters available and are classified as Planet Positive products because of their water and energy efficiency.”

Metso Outotec’s filtration portfolio consists of 15 different filter types and a comprehensive service offering for various mining and industrial applications, with more than 5,000 installations globally.

Metso Outotec launches direct reduced iron smelting furnace to further decarbonise steel sector

Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec is launching the innovative DRI (direct reduced iron) Smelting Furnace to, it says, substitute blast furnaces used in iron and steel making.

The DRI Smelting Furnace is one of Metso Outotec’s key solutions for decarbonisation of the iron and steel industry, which currently produces about 8% of the global carbon dioxide emissions.

Jyrki Makkonen, Vice President, Smelting at Metso Outotec, said:“The DRI Smelting Furnace is a true breakthrough technology. It will help the iron and steel industry to reach their CO2 emission reduction targets and limit global warming. The new high-capacity 6-in-line DRI Smelting Furnace is part of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive offering, which is focused on environmentally efficient technologies.”

Kimmo Vallo, Product Manager, DRI Smelting Furnace at Metso Outotec, said: “Combined with a direct reduction plant, the DRI Smelting Furnace will substitute blast furnaces in the production of hot metal. This is an optimal solution for primary steel producers aiming for a significant reduction in their CO2 emissions with minimal changes to the rest of the steel plant. The furnace can be integrated with Metso Outotec’s hydrogen-based CircoredTM process or other direct reduction processes.”

Timo Haimi, Senior Sales Manager, Smelting, added: “The DRI Smelting Furnace enables the use of easily available blast furnace-grade iron ore instead of DRI-grade iron ore by managing bigger slag volumes than what scrap melting electric arc furnaces (EAF) are capable of.”

DRI Smelting Furnace technology is based on existing Metso Outotec equipment. The furnace and related products are complete and ready for implementation, according to the company. Customer-specific pilot-scale testing will be conducted in the Metso Outotec research facilities to demonstrate large-scale DRI smelting.

The company said: “DRI smelting technology development continues to further optimise the process for customer-specific feed materials and to complement Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive offering for decarbonisation of the iron and steel industry.”

Metso Outotec’s DRI Smelting Furnace provides the following benefits:

  • Flexible for any DRI feed;
  • High productivity with capacity above 1.2 Mt/y;
  • Continuous production of hot metal with high availability and long campaign life;​
  • Capable of handling large slag volumes;
  • Possibility to change slag chemistry to achieve high iron yields and good-quality slag;
  • Minimal changes to existing steel plant; and
  • Furnace off-gas can be used as energy or in a carbon capture and storage process.

Metso Outotec launches carbon-neutral and autonomous pelletising concept

Automation, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec is launching NextGen Pelletizing™, a visionary concept for the next generation of pelletising plants that, it says, strive to be carbon-neutral and autonomous.

This concept is a part of the company’s Planet Positive offering focused on environmentally efficient technologies.

Attaul Ahmad, Vice President, Ferrous and Heat Transfer business at Metso Outotec, said: “NextGen Pelletizing is yet further proof of our strong commitment to building innovative pelletising solutions that are sustainable and contribute to climate targets. It offers significant benefits and will help the industry decarbonise, providing an 80-90% reduction in CO2 emissions.”

NextGen Pelletizing offers unmatched benefits, according to the company, including further energy reductions of 5-10%, production and availability increases of 10-15%, and improved product homogeneity and quality to support the transition of the steel industry.

The concept considers all relevant factors for energy efficiency, plant production and pellet quality to enable a holistic optimisation of the performance of the pelletising process, the company says. It follows a modular approach to minimise the sources of CO2 from the three carbon-intensive steps involved in pelletising and introduces further improved gas schemes, advanced combustion and burner technology (low NOx, hydrogen, and alternative fuels) as well as increased plant stability and performance through advanced process control.

Matthias Gabriel, Director, Ferrous technologies at Metso Outotec, added: “Pelletising is and will remain crucial in the future for the industry’s transition to green, carbon-neutral steel production. I am really excited about NextGen Pelletizing, which I firmly believe will completely revolutionise the way pelletising plants are built or operated in the future.

“The best part about NextGen Pelletizing is that it can be implemented fully or in parts, depending on the customer needs. And it can be easily upgraded in existing plants. Our experts will continue to evolve this vision with improved and innovative processes and tools.”

As the original inventor of the pelletising process, Metso Outotec’s NextGen Pelletizing also offers an exhaustive suite of digital solutions that help improve process performance, production capacity, and product quality as well as reduce energy consumption, environmental impact, and operation and maintenance costs, Metso Outotec says. These solutions include VisioPellet™ , Ferroflame LowNox burner, the Pallet Car Condition Monitoring System, and the Training Simulator, among others.

Metso Outotec has an installed worldwide base of over 120 pelletising plants.

Vale and Nippon Steel to evaluate carbon-neutral ironmaking solutions

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

Vale and Japan’s Nippon Steel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pursue ironmaking solutions focused on a carbon-neutral steelmaking process, the iron ore miner says.

Vale and Nippon Steel intend to jointly study and explore (i) metallic usage solutions such as direct reduced iron (DRI) and pig iron produced by Tecnored technology; and (ii) usage of Vale’s green briquettes in the ironmaking process and other lower carbon footprint products such as pellets.

This initiative contributes to Vale’s commitment to reduce net Scope 3 emissions by 15% by 2035. Additionally, Vale seeks to reduce its absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement, leading the evolution process towards sustainable mining.

In April, Vale and the Government of the State of Pará held an event to mark the beginning of the construction works of the first commercial plant of Tecnored in Brazil. Tecnored’s technology allows the production of so-called ‘green pig iron’, by replacing metallurgical coal with biomass, thus reducing carbon emissions and contributing to the decarbonisation of the steel industry.

The unit will have an initial capacity to produce 250,000 t/y of green pig iron, with the possibility of reaching 500,000 t/y in the future. The start-up is scheduled for 2025 with an estimated investment of approximately BRL1.6 billion ($342 million).

Epiroc, SSAB to partner on fossil-free steel use in mining equipment

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

Epiroc says it is starting a partnership with steelmaker SSAB to secure fossil-free steel for use in the production of Epiroc’s mining equipment.

SSAB aims to deliver fossil-free steel to the market in commercial scale during 2026, and delivered the first steel made of hydrogen-reduced iron in 2021. It is working with iron ore producer LKAB and energy company Vattenfall as part of the HYBRIT initiative to develop a value chain for fossil-free iron and steel production, replacing coking coal traditionally needed for iron ore-based steelmaking, with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. This process virtually eliminates carbon dioxide-emissions in steel production, according to the HYBRIT partners.

Epiroc will initially use fossil-free steel for material for a prototype underground machine produced at its facility in Örebro, Sweden, and the plan is to increase the usage of fossil-free steel over time.

“Sustainability is integrated in everything we do, and we are committed to halving our CO2e emissions by 2030,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, says. “This exciting partnership with SSAB will support us and our customers on the journey to reach our very ambitious climate goals. It is clear that our innovation agenda goes hand-in-hand with our customers’ sustainability agenda.”

Martin Lindqvist, SSAB’s President and CEO, said: “We are very happy to welcome Epiroc in our partner group and look forward to the fossil-free steel collaboration.It’s a natural next step in our joint efforts to mitigate climate change. Demand for fossil-free steel is increasing, which is one of the reasons for SSAB to bring forward its green transition with the ambition to largely eliminate carbon dioxide emissions around 2030.”

In the shift to a low-carbon economy, development of new technologies like this is crucial for making the transition possible, Epiroc says. The partnership with SSAB fits well with Epiroc’s ambitious sustainability goals for 2030, including halving its CO2e emissions.

In 2021, Epiroc received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its targets to reduce emissions in own operations as well as when customers use the sold products. The SBTi validated Epiroc’s climate targets as being in line with keeping global warming at a maximum 1.5°C, consistent with the latest climate science and the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. In addition, Epiroc’s 2030 sustainability goals include halving its CO2e emissions in transport as well as from relevant suppliers, having 90% renewable energy in own operations, and offering a full range of emissions-free products.

Last year, Volvo Group revealed what it said was the world’s first vehicle made of fossil-free steel from SSAB, plus announced that more vehicles will follow in 2022 in what will be a series of concept vehicles and components using the material.