A new agreement between BHP and HBIS Group will aim to foster collaboration on projects that decarbonise the global steel value chain.
BHP and HBIS, a Chinese iron and steel manufacturing conglomerate, have already completed a range of projects together since originally partnering up in 2021.
The extended agreement will aim to extend value chain cooperation to steel end-users and promote the low-carbon transformation of the industry by exploring life cycle carbon reduction projects.
Since 2021, BHP and HBIS Group have successfully conducted trials of enhanced lump use in the blast furnace into ongoing operations and kicked off the design and construction of a novel carbon capture pilot.
The parties have also conducted proof of concept DRI-EAF trials at HBIS’ hydrogen metallurgy demonstration plant in ZhangXuan Tech, using BHP’s Pilbara iron ores in the raw material blend.
The DRI-EAF process involves the use of hydrogen to produce direct reduced iron (DRI), which is then processed in an electric arc furnace (EAF) to produce steel.
Building on this progress, the new agreement focuses on further exploring opportunities to demonstrate blast furnace abatements at larger scale with greater impact.
This will aid with the continued optimisation of the use of BHP’s Pilbara iron ores in commercial-scale DRI-EAF steel production, as well as life cycle assessment projects to track reduced greenhouse gas intensity through the value chain.
This includes bringing more value to steel end use partners and fostering technical talent and industry knowledge sharing.
“BHP aims to establish best practices and scalable solutions that align with its climate goals,” the company said in a statement.
“As steel remains a cornerstone of global development, this partnership underscores the critical role of collaboration and collaborative demonstration in accelerating the transition to a lower carbon emissions steel industry.”
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