A consortium consisting of Primetals Technologies, Mitsubishi Corporation, Rio Tinto, and voestalpine is collaborating on a new ironmaking process aimed at achieving net-zero CO2 emissions. The group has signed an agreement to develop fluidised bed and smelter technologies, implementing an industrial-scale prototype plant at voestalpine’s Linz, Austria site. The plant, based on Hydrogen-based Fine-Ore Reduction (HYFOR) and Smelter technology, is projected to produce three tons of hot metal per hour and is slated to begin operations in mid-2027.
Funding for the project comes from the Austrian federal government through its ‘Transformation of Industry’ program and ‘Twin Transition’ initiative, as well as support from the European Union Research Fund for Coal and Steel and the European Union Clean Hydrogen Partnership. Rio Tinto will supply 70% of the iron ore for the new plant from its global operations. The HYFOR technology, which doesn’t require ore agglomeration, has been piloted by Primetals Technologies at voestalpine’s Donawitz site since 2021. The smelter uses renewable energy to melt and reduce direct reduced iron, generating hot metal with potentially net-zero CO2 emissions. Voestalpine plans to use green hydrogen to achieve carbon-neutral steel production, aiming to reduce its CO2 emissions by up to 30% by 2029 through its greentec steel program.
