Sustainable technologies provider Metso has supplied the core process design and technology for Fortescue Ltd.’s Christmas Creek Green Metal project in Western Australia.
The project will demonstrate the production of high-purity green metal using renewable energy for hydrogen-based reduction and smelting technologies for further downstream steel processing.
The initial project will have an annual output of over 1,500 metric tonnes, with studies underway to support development of a commercial-scale facility.
Dino Otranto, Fortescue’s CEO of Metals and Operations, said: “Green metal presents a huge opportunity for Australia’s iron ore industry and Fortescue is determined to lead the way.
“Through the Christmas Creek Green Metal Project, we’re combining cutting-edge technologies, including Metso’s Circored process and DRI Smelting Furnace, with Fortescue’s proven track record in project delivery, to pioneer low-emission pathways for steelmaking.”
The Circored process uses solely green hydrogen instead of fossil reductants. The flexible process, which produces highly metallised direct reduced iron or hot briquetted iron that can be fed directly to an electric arc furnace, has been a proven and cost-effective alternative to traditional steelmaking. The process completely eliminates the need for expensive and energy intensive pelletising.
Jyrki Makkonen, Vice President, Smelting at Metso, said: “The low-emission electric smelting (ESF)-based steelmaking route, which substitutes traditional blast furnaces in the production of hot metal, is well-suited for Australia’s abundant, low-to-medium-grade Pilbara iron ores.
“The ambitious target for the Metso DRI Smelting furnace technology is to unlock utilisation of these massive iron ore reserves for green iron making, when such iron ores previously have been not suitable for the DRI steelmaking route due to higher gangue content.
“We are excited to see the Metso DRI Smelting Furnace taking shape at the Christmas Creek site where foundations have been laid and the first equipment was installed in September.”