Rio Tinto and China Baowu have successfully completed industrial-scale trials showing that Pilbara Blend iron ore can be used in hydrogen-based direct reduction, potentially opening a pathway for lower-carbon steelmaking using Western Australian ore.
The results suggest the mid-grade ores typically mined in the Pilbara could play a role in lower-carbon steel production when combined with emerging technologies such as hydrogen-based direct reduction and electric smelting.
“This is an important technical milestone demonstrating that Pilbara Blend iron ore can be used in a direct reduction shaft furnace process at an industrial scale, which has the potential to significantly reduce emissions when compared with the traditional blast furnace,” Rio Tinto iron ore sales and marketing vice president Ramona Sim said.
“The trials, alongside our broader ongoing work, continue to build confidence that Pilbara iron ore can play a critical role in lower carbon steelmaking.”
The trials, conducted at Baowu’s Zhanjiang Steel operations in China, produced direct reduced iron (DRI) from pellets containing one-third Pilbara Blend ore before converting the material into steel through an industrial-scale basic oxygen furnace. The DRI was also tested in an electric smelting furnace.
Baowu Low Carbon Centre executive deputy director and Baowu Central Research Institute deputy director Dr Mao Xiaoming described the work as a ‘major breakthrough’ in the use of Pilbara Blend iron ore in direct reduction processes.
“By leveraging the strengths of both Rio Tinto and China Baowu, we have successfully completed this industrial scale trial from laboratory to commercial production, proving the feasibility of using Pilbara Blend in a direct reduction shaft furnace and electric smelting furnace process route,” Dr Mao said.
The milestone forms part of a 2023 memorandum of understanding between Rio Tinto and China Baowu to explore technologies aimed at reducing emissions across the steel value chain.
Rio Tinto said it would continue working with Baowu on technologies designed to support lower-emissions steelmaking.
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