Brazilian iron ore producer Vale began operations of the world's first iron ore briquette plant, part of the company's push to reduce its carbon emissions.
The plant, in Brazil's southeastern Espirito Santo state, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in blast furnaces by up to 10pc, Vale said.
The company expects to start operations at a second plant, also in Espirito Santo, by early next year. The two plants will have a combined production capacity of 2.5mn metric tonnes (t)/yr in 2024 and will eventually reach 6mn t/yr, it said.
Vale's iron ore briquette — an input to produce hot-briquetted iron, an intermediate product between iron ore and steel — comes from the low-temperature agglomeration of high-quality iron ore using a technological solution of binders, which gives the final product higher mechanical strength. The product emits less particulates and gases — such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide — than traditional agglomeration processes and does not require water in its production.
Over 30 clients — most from Europe and the Middle East — have shown interest in the product and the plants' initial output will be tested in their facilities over the next two years.
Vale also said it is developing another briquette version using the direct reduction process — when natural gas is used as an alternative to coke in the furnace. The company has carried out tests, including a first industrial test in a reactor in North America.
