What is Vale's briquette technology and how is it improving steel production?

Vale's briquette technology has demonstrated better productivity and production rates compared to traditional pellets, with the company conducting successful pre-industrial and industrial tests. The briquettes are being used as inputs for low-carbon steel products.

How is the NeoSmelt consortium in Australia working to process Pilbara iron ore?

The NeoSmelt consortium, which includes Rio Tinto and BHP, is developing an electric smelting furnace (ESF) technology that aims to enable the use of Pilbara iron ore to produce iron within the ESF, rather than a traditional blast furnace.

Home / Business and Economy / Miners Unlock Green Pathways for Pilbara Ore with Emerging Technologies

Miners Unlock Green Pathways for Pilbara Ore with Emerging Technologies

Q: What is the PeroCycle technology and how can it help reduce emissions in the steel industry?

PeroCycle, developed by the University of Birmingham and backed by Anglo American, uses double perovskite material to split carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, which can then be recycled as a substitute for coal or coke in the steelmaking process, significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

26 Aug

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Summary

Vale's briquette technology improves productivity and reduces emissions
NeoSmelt consortium developing electric smelting furnace to process Pilbara ore
PeroCycle technology can retrofit existing steel plants to reduce CO2 emissions

Miners Unlock Green Pathways for Pilbara Ore with Emerging Technologies

As of August 2025, the iron and steel industry is making significant strides in developing green pathways for decarbonization. Miners, supported by strategic investments, are exploring emerging technologies to address the challenges posed by lower-grade ores.

In Brazil, Vale has opened a plant to test its briquette technology for clients. The company has conducted over 10 successful pre-industrial and two fully industrial tests, reporting better productivity and production rates compared to traditional pellets. Vale plans to build mega hubs to manufacture low-carbon steel products using these briquettes and iron ore pellets as inputs.

Meanwhile, the NeoSmelt consortium in Australia, which includes Rio Tinto and BHP, is jointly developing an electric smelting furnace (ESF) technology. This technology aims to enable the use of Pilbara iron ore, a major Australian export, to produce iron within an ESF instead of a traditional blast furnace. The consortium recently received government support for a front-end engineering design study, with plans to potentially start operations at a pilot facility in 2028.

Additionally, Anglo American has invested in PeroCycle, a technology developed by the University of Birmingham in the UK. PeroCycle uses double perovskite material to split carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, which can then be recycled as a substitute for coal or coke in the steelmaking process, significantly reducing CO2 emissions. The technology is currently at the lab scale but is targeting commercial deployment by 2028.

These collaborative efforts demonstrate the industry's commitment to unlocking green pathways for steel production and reducing its environmental impact.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.