Vale, a mining company based in Brazil, has successfully manufactured iron ore pellets without the use of coal on an industrial scale for the first time. In lieu of traditional coal, Vale utilized biocarbon derived from biomass to produce the pellets.
During this pilot project, which was conducted in February in Minas Gerais state, Vale produced 15,000 tons of coal-free pellets using 100% biocarbon from certified supplies.
This is a significant step towards reducing the company’s carbon footprint as coal accounts for around half of its greenhouse gas emissions from its pellet-making process.
Vale aims to stop the use of all coal in its pellet plants by 2030, though further tests are needed on the pilot process.
The iron major has committed to a target of net zero carbon emissions in direct and indirect emissions by 2050.
Source: MINING.COM
Image Source: Vale