Overview

 

For decarbonised steel production, the hydrogen direct reduction (HDR) pathway is most technologically mature, whether coupled with an electric arc furnace (EAF) or potentially with a melter and basic oxygen furnace (BOF). Some concerns about these pathways when applied to Pilbara ores in particular are the high cost of hydrogen relative to conventional fuels, the likelihood of increased hydrogen use associated with carrying through the gangue and needing additional flux to remove it, and the need for increased temperatures in the final wüstite to iron reduction step, to effect reduction of low-purity ores. Hydrogen plasma reduction (HPR) offers the potential overcome these barriers through the use of highly active hydrogen plasma that penetrates into the impermeable wüstite layer—offering the potential for a more efficient and effective use of hydrogen, at the cost of some added (and relatively cheap, vs hydrogen) electricity. HPR causes melting of the product, which may eliminate the need for a separate downstream melter and its associated energy demand.