Rio Tinto to develop BioIron™ R&D facility in Western Australia to test low-carbon steelmaking
The development of the
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.
The BioIron facility will include a pilot plant that will be ten times bigger than its predecessor in
The plant has been designed in collaboration with
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 WA universities and research organisations.
“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
“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.”
Note to the editors
Fly through and B-Roll vision of the Western Australian BioIronResearch and Development Facility is available to download here.
Steelmaking accounts for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions, and 69% of Rio Tinto’s Scope 3 emissions in 2023.
BioIronwas invented by Rio Tinto’s steel decarbonisation team after a decade of extensive research.
Electricity consumption in the BioIronprocess is about one-third of the electricity required by other steelmaking processes that rely on renewable hydrogen.
BioIron 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.
For more information about the BioIron process, please see here.
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