BHP has signed a new agreement with China’s HBIS Group to pilot carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology at HBIS’ steel operations in China. HBIS is one of the world’s largest steelmakers and a major iron ore customer of BHP.
The trial will test technologies such as Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VPSA), slag mineralization, and biological conversion to protein to reduce CO2 emissions from steel production processes. BHP will also support HBIS in developing and deploying absorptive desulfurization to enable the utilization of captured CO2 from the Direct Reduced Iron process in the food or industrial sectors.
This collaboration builds on the work streams envisaged in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by BHP and HBIS in 2021, including the Enhanced Lump trials intended to enhance the utilization of direct feed iron ore lumps and thereby gradually decrease the carbon dioxide emissions intensity of steel production.
The investment of up to $15 million over three years proposed by BHP and HBIS in the MoU signed in 2021 will fund the latest collaboration agreement.
Mike Henry, BHP’s Chief Executive Officer, believes the collaborative initiative showcases the deepening of the partnership and a shared eagerness to promote innovation in steelmaking technologies.
HBIS Chairman Yu Yong said that HBIS is dedicated to leading, exploring, and implementing practices to facilitate the industry’s shift towards reduced carbon emissions.
Furthermore, CCU technology has been recognized as a groundbreaking approach to cut down carbon emissions in steel production and has thus become a crucial element in HBIS Group’s strategy for low-carbon technology development.
Source: PRESS RELEASE
Image Source: HBIS