BHP wants to eat our lunch....17 Apr 2024 14:05
In a sign of the times - and the Aussies' increasing concern at the ore quality issue - BHP is thinking outside the (lunch) box :
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/bhp-group-iron-ore-microbes-steel/
.."BHP is partnering with Boston startup Allonnia to test whether specially crafted microorganisms can purify its iron ore, enabling greener steelmaking processes. This innovative approach could be a game-changer in the urgent quest to reduce the steel industry's massive carbon footprint, according to Bloomberg.
Traditional steel production, which relies on coal-fired blast furnaces, is responsible for a whopping 8% of carbon and methane pollution annually, according to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
However, a cleaner method called direct reduced iron (DRI) offers hope. DRI replaces dirty coal with cleaner-burning natural gas or emissions-free hydrogen.
The catch? DRI requires high-purity iron ore, but most of BHP's ore from Western Australia is loaded with impurities. That's where the tiny microbes come in.
Allonnia discovered phosphorus-eating microorganisms in BHP's ore that can also shake loose other unwanted gunk. The plan is to harness the microbes to purify giant mounds of raw ore, creating a high-enough grade for DRI..."
OK, fungi can be used to break up and convert oil spills into harmless waste (on a small scale), but even so...
.."As Simon Farry, Rio Tinto's head of steel decarbonization, told Bloomberg: "This is an absolute revolution for the industry, but it's not going to happen at the speed of a revolution. It's going to be an evolution over two to four decades."
Whatcha gonna do in the meantime, guys ?
GLA