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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Adelaide:20260609T130000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Adelaide:20260609T140000
DTSTAMP:20260707T022247
CREATED:20260525T115942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T083618Z
UID:10000050-1781010000-1781013600@hiltcrc.com.au
SUMMARY:HILT CRC Partner Webinar: Rio Tinto’s BioIron™
DESCRIPTION:Earlier this year\, Rio Tinto Iron Ore joined HILT CRC as a Key Partner\, underscoring the company’s commitment to supporting the decarbonisation of the steel value chain. \nBioIron™ is one of Rio Tinto’s steel decarbonisation initiatives\, developed over the past decade. The process uses raw\, sustainable biomass – agricultural by-products like wheat\, canola and barley straw\, seed husks and sugarcane bagasse\, energy crops such as sorghum\, bamboo and Miscanthus giganteus\, and woody forestry and municipal wastes – and microwave energy to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron. It has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 95% compared with the blast furnace route when combined with renewable energy and carbon circulation of biomass. The electricity consumption in the BioIron process is estimated to be about one third of the electricity required by other steelmaking pathways that rely on renewable hydrogen. \nThe company is continuing to develop BioIron™ and is inviting partners to help advance its path to commercialisation. \nJoin us for an update on the science behind BioIron and Rio Tinto’s ongoing work to progress low-emissions ironmaking pathways for Pilbara ores. \nAgenda \n\nWelcome – 5 mins (Jenny Selway\, CEO\, HILT CRC)\nBioIron technology – 20 mins – Michael Buckley\, Manager Technical Development BioIron™\, Rio Tinto\nMicrowave technology – 20 mins – Prof. Chris Dodds\, Head of Department\, Chemical and Environmental Engineering\, University of Nottingham\nAudience Q&A – 15 mins.\n\nWEBINAR REGISTRATION – Rio Tinto’s BioIron™Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *Email address *HILT CRC Partner organisation *Microsoft Event Terms and Conditions *I have read and agree to the Microsoft Event Terms and Conditions (see link below)REGISTER   \n\n\n\n\nMicrosoft Event Terms and Conditions \n\nSPEAKERS\nMichael Buckley\, Manager Technical Development – BioIron™\, Rio Tinto\n \nMichael Buckley graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Engineering in Materials Engineering. His original interest was in high performance ceramics\, which led him to join Rio Tinto’s alternative ironmaking HIsmelt Project as a refractories specialist. When much of the refractory in this project was replaced with water-cooled panels he began to focus more on ironmaking metallurgy and held roles in operations\, technical development\, maintenance\, marketing and strategy for alternative ironmaking. \nIn 2007\, Michael joined Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Technical Marketing team and began examining options for decarbonising iron and steelmaking with Pilbara-type iron ores. When he realised some of limitations of both natural gas and hydrogen-based processing of these ores\, he started to look at the use of raw sustainable biomass as a reductant and microwaves as an energy source. In conjunction with the University of Nottingham and Metso Outotec (now SMS)\, the BioIron™ process was developed. The technology is now ready to be taken to the large-scale pilot plant stage. \n\nProfessor Chris Dodds\, Head of Department\, Chemical and Environmental Engineering\, University of Nottingham\n \nProfessor Chris Dodds is Head of Department\, Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham. He chairs Heads of Chemical Engineering UK and Ireland\, leading collaboration between institutions and external stakeholders. He leads a highly multidisciplinary research group that conducts R&D and commercialisation studies into microwave heating technologies that deliver economic and technical benefits across a wide range of applications and sectors. \nChris currently coordinates over £15m of research projects. He works with global industries\, companies and research collaborators on projects from laboratory to large industrial scale\, with highly commended Research Excellence Framework (REF) impact case studies from 2014 and 2021. His research achievements have been recognised with multiple awards\, including The Royal Academy of Engineering Campbell Mitchell Award\, more than 100 patents and over 60 journal papers. \n\nJenny Selway\, Chief Executive Officer\, HILT CRC\nJenny Selway has over 20 years’ experience as an engineer and non-executive director\, with expertise in decarbonisation and the energy transition. Prior to her role as CEO of HILT CRC\, she worked across the energy industry at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)\, where she focused on increasing renewable penetration in the Victorian transmission network\, and at ExxonMobil\, specialising in international joint venture and asset management. She is also currently a non-executive director at Gippsland Water. \nOriginally graduating from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) and Bachelor of Science\, Jenny is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of Engineers Australia. She has completed an Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School and postgraduate studies into Climate Change Policy at the Australian National University.
URL:https://hiltcrc.com.au/events/hilt-crc-partner-webinar-rio-tintos-bioiron/
CATEGORIES:Past event,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hiltcrc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Rio-BioIron-webinar_09062026.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="HILT CRC":MAILTO:enquiries@hiltcrc.com.au
LOCATION:
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Adelaide:20260624T153000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Adelaide:20260624T170000
DTSTAMP:20260707T022247
CREATED:20260529T014134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T083435Z
UID:10000051-1782315000-1782320400@hiltcrc.com.au
SUMMARY:HILT CRC Public Webinar: Technology pathways for green iron and low-carbon steelmaking
DESCRIPTION:REGISTER HERE \n  \nJoin HILT CRC for a public webinar showcasing four iron and steel technology providers – and HILT CRC partners – working on practical pathways to decarbonise iron and steel production. \nSpeakers from Primetals Technologies\, Metix\, Tenova and Hatch will each provide a technical deep dive into their technologies\, alongside a broader view of future green iron and low-carbon steelmaking pathways. \nFor Primetals\, Gerald Wimmer will provide a technical overview of its work supporting lower-emissions iron and steel production. The presentation will consider practical pathways for integrating new process technologies into future green iron and steel value chains\, including the implications for feedstocks\, energy supply\, plant configuration and scale-up. \nGerhard Terblanche will present for Metix. As SMS group’s centre of competence for reduction furnace applications\, Metix brings deep expertise in pyrometallurgical furnace technologies\, submerged arc furnaces\, high-temperature process engineering and advanced electric smelting solutions. \nTenova will provide a multi-speaker overview of its technologies across the iron and steel value chain. Markus Dorndorf will introduce the company’s direct reduced iron (DRI) and electric arc furnace (EAF) technologies; Andre Esterhuizen will discuss submerged arc furnace technology\, including iBLUE® (which combines direct reduction with arc furnace-based hot metal production)\, residual valorisation and slag granulation; and Alessandro Della Rocca will address downstream technologies\, including reheating furnaces. \nFor Hatch\, Simon Nitschke\, Managing Director\, Equipment Technology\, will present on Hatch’s work in green iron and steel\, including the NeoSmelt electric smelting furnace (ESF) design. \nPresentations from each company will include an audience Q&A after each session\, with a panel discussion to close. \nHILT CRC Research Director Prof. Gus Nathan (Adelaide University) will introduce speakers and moderate the Q&A session. \nAgenda: \n\nWelcome/introduction – HILT CRC\nPrimetals (15 min)\nMetix (15 min)\nTenova (15 min)\nHatch (15 min)\nJoint Q&A (20 min).\n\n\n\n\nREGISTER HERE \n\n\n\nSPEAKERS\nDr Gerald Wimmer\, Vice President Converter Steelmaking\, Primetals Technologies\n\n \n\nDr Gerald Wimmer is Vice President Converter Steelmaking at Primetals Technologies\, where he leads work on green steelmaking\, smelter development and advanced solutions for the steel industry. He has been with Primetals Technologies since 2012\, previously serving as Head of Technology Converter Steelmaking\, and earlier worked in mechatronics and simulations for converter steelmaking at Siemens VAI. Prior to that\, he was a scientific researcher at Vienna University of Technology\, Austria.  \nGerald’s expertise spans the development\, implementation and optimisation of new processes and products; customised plant revamps; and simulation-based verification and optimisation of steelmaking processes and equipment. Gerald holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Simulations and a Master’s in International Business Administration. \n\nGerhard Terblanche\, Business Development Manager\, Metix (SMS Group)\n \nGerhard Terblanche graduated from the North-West University\, South Africa\, with a B. Eng (Chemical). He started his career at Xstrata Alloys (now Glencore) in 2001 as an Engineer-in-Training. Throughout his career\, he has gained invaluable experience in all aspects of the smelting industry\, having worked for Glencore\, ASA Metals and Samancor Chrome. He has extensive knowledge and thorough understanding of ferrochrome production and related activities\, ore beneficiation\, wide pre-reduction and pre-oxidation process understanding\, seasoned AC and DC furnace operations experience. \nProfessional and competent in all aspects of smelter management\, Gerhard joined Metix in 2023 as the Metallurgical Product Manager and has since been appointed to lead the company’s business development department. \n\nDr Markus Dorndorf\, Senior Business Development Director UPS\, Tenova\n \nDr Markus Dorndorf is Senior Business Development Director UPS at Tenova\, with extensive experience across iron and steelmaking\, electric steelmaking\, secondary metallurgy\, vacuum degassing technologies and business development. Before taking up his current role in 2025\, Markus served as Vice President Iron & Steelmaking at Tenova Germany\, following senior roles in vacuum degassing technologies and product management/business development with Tenova. His former positions included R&D leadership in electric steelmaking and secondary metallurgy at Siemens VAI. \nMarkus started his academic career by studying mechanical engineering with a focus on mechatronics and automation technology at the Technical University of Freiberg and the Fraunhofer Institute and subsequently worked in research and project management at Helmut Schmidt University and at SMS Siemag as part of his PhD. \n\nAndre Esterhuizen\, General Manager – Sales and Marketing\, Tenova Pyromet\n \nAndre Esterhuizen is General Manager – Sales and Marketing at Tenova Pyromet\, where he leads commercial strategy and client engagement for pyrometallurgical technologies. He has more than 20 years’ experience with Tenova\, spanning sales\, marketing\, project engineering and design roles\, with a focus on ferroalloys and metals processing. \nAndre’s work draws on deep technical and market knowledge of smelting technologies\, including high-capacity AC and DC furnaces\, complete smelting plants\, furnace preheating and related technologies for ferroalloys\, platinum group metals and base metals. Before joining Tenova\, he worked with Anglo Platinum as a Junior Engineer/Bursar. Andre holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Johannesburg. \n\nDr Alessandro Della Rocca\, Business Development Manager\, Tenova\n \nDr Alessandro Della Rocca is Business Development Manager at Tenova\, where he develops energy transition opportunities for the steel and metals industry\, with a focus on decarbonisation\, industrial feasibility and low-emissions technologies. His work spans feasibility studies\, partnerships\, techno-economic analysis and value propositions for metals processing technologies\, including the decarbonisation of heating furnaces. \nAlessandro has more than 15 years’ experience with Tenova across business development\, R&D and engineering roles\, including the development of low-NOx\, high-efficiency combustion systems\, digital solutions for industrial energy transition\, and modelling and simulation for industrial applications. He is a Board Member of the Italian Section of The Combustion Institute and holds a PhD in Mathematical Models and Methods in Engineering and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano. \n\nSimon Nitschke\, Managing Director for Technologies\, Hatch\n \nAs Managing Director for Technologies\, Simon leads a group of approximately 300 professionals globally that focus on the development and commercialisation of technologies in support of each of Hatch’s business sectors. He has extensive experience in the engineering management of both greenfield project scope as well as modifications to existing plant equipment and assessment of alternative engineering options\, focused within the furnace and smelting areas. His project work has included detailed thermal and mechanical design of furnace technology systems using 2D and 3D finite element analysis techniques in addition to experience in the recording\, compilation and analysis of field measurements\, preparation of cost estimates\, and drafting of specifications for proposed design concepts.  \nSimon’s on-site experience includes long-term support engineering\, technical supervision and management during equipment construction\, pre-operational testing and commissioning in several metallurgical plant areas including smelter\, and off-gas and acid plant facilities. This support has included the planning and execution of shut-down projects in addition to construction supervision of furnace rebuild work and assistance with commissioning and training during plant start-up. \n\nGus Nathan\, Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Adelaide University and Research Director\, HILT CRC\n \nProf. Gus Nathan is a Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Adelaide University\, a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering\, the Combustion Institute and Engineers Australia\, a recipient of a Discovery Outstanding Researcher Award from the Australian Research Council and an ATSE KH Sutherland medallist. He was the bid leader for and is now the Research Director of HILT CRC. This builds on his leadership of an ARENA-funded program to develop technology with strong potential to provide energy to the Bayer alumina process with concentrated solar thermal heat in partnership with Alcoa and Hatch\, together with his co-leadership of program to develop innovative hydrogen production technologies within the Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre. \nGus has led the development of six technology platforms\, three of which are in ongoing commercial use and include the flame for Sydney Olympic Relay Torch\, while three are currently being upscaled to decarbonise heavy industry. Gus has published more than 300 papers in international journals\, 250 in peer reviewed conferences\, 50 commissioned reports and 13 patents. He is also the founding chair of the High Temperature Minerals Processing (HiTeMP) Forum and co-founder of the Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) forums\, both of which attract some 170 delegates from more than 13 countries\, drawn equally from industry\, research and government agencies. He is also a joint founder of the international ISF Workshop for the Measurement and Computation of Reacting Flows With Carbon Nanoparticles\, which engages some 100 researchers from around the world and is aligned with his own speciality in optical diagnostic methods to de-risk emerging technologies in hydrogen production and heavy industrial processes.
URL:https://hiltcrc.com.au/events/hilt-crc-public-webinar-technology-pathways-for-green-iron-and-low-carbon-steelmaking/
CATEGORIES:Past event,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://hiltcrc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/iron-steel-tech-webinar_banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="HILT CRC":MAILTO:enquiries@hiltcrc.com.au
LOCATION:https://youtu.be/zDlj4UCsfNs
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