Brazilian mining giant Vale has launched a new product that has been under development for almost 20 years and that will be able to reduce by up to 10% greenhouse gases emissions during production processes used by its steelmaking clients. The green briquette is made of iron ore and an agglomerant technological solution, which can be obtained with the use of sand provided by the treatment of mine tailing, and is capable of resisting elevated blast furnace temperatures without disintegrating. The reduction of GHG emissions occurs because this product allows steelmakers to reduce their dependency on sintering, a process that takes place before steel production in which sinter feed is agglomerated.Sintering requires the intensive use of coal heated to a temperature of 1300 degree Celcius. Vale’s briquette, however, is considered to be cold-agglomerated. In its production there is no burning, but rather a drying process at a temperature between 200 and 250 degree Celcius, equiring less energy. The product also reduces emissions of particulates and gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, as well as eliminates the use of water in its production.The green briquette is part of Vale’s strategy to reduce by 15% Scope 3 emissions, related to its value chain, by 2035. In absolute terms, the commitment to reductions is equal to 90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent MtCO2e, the same as the total volume of Chile’s energy emissions in 2018, the base year used for Scope 3 targets1. Today 98% of Vale’s total emissions are related to its chain of suppliers and clients.The production of green briquette will initially be carried out in pelletizing plants 1 and 2 at Tubarão Unit in Vitória in Espírito Santo in Brazil, which are being converted for these purposes, and also in the Vargem Grande Complex in Minas Gerais, in which a new plant is being installed. The initial production capacity will be approximately 7 million tonnes per year. The operations start up for the three plants is estimated for 2023. The total investment is USD 185 million. Long-term estimates are that the company will have the capacity to produce more than 50 million tonnes of green briquette per year resulting in a potential reduction in emissions of 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year through the use of this technology.
Brazilian mining giant Vale has launched a new product that has been under development for almost 20 years and that will be able to reduce by up to 10% greenhouse gases emissions during production processes used by its steelmaking clients. The green briquette is made of iron ore and an agglomerant technological solution, which can be obtained with the use of sand provided by the treatment of mine tailing, and is capable of resisting elevated blast furnace temperatures without disintegrating. The reduction of GHG emissions occurs because this product allows steelmakers to reduce their dependency on sintering, a process that takes place before steel production in which sinter feed is agglomerated.Sintering requires the intensive use of coal heated to a temperature of 1300 degree Celcius. Vale’s briquette, however, is considered to be cold-agglomerated. In its production there is no burning, but rather a drying process at a temperature between 200 and 250 degree Celcius, equiring less energy. The product also reduces emissions of particulates and gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, as well as eliminates the use of water in its production.The green briquette is part of Vale’s strategy to reduce by 15% Scope 3 emissions, related to its value chain, by 2035. In absolute terms, the commitment to reductions is equal to 90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent MtCO2e, the same as the total volume of Chile’s energy emissions in 2018, the base year used for Scope 3 targets1. Today 98% of Vale’s total emissions are related to its chain of suppliers and clients.The production of green briquette will initially be carried out in pelletizing plants 1 and 2 at Tubarão Unit in Vitória in Espírito Santo in Brazil, which are being converted for these purposes, and also in the Vargem Grande Complex in Minas Gerais, in which a new plant is being installed. The initial production capacity will be approximately 7 million tonnes per year. The operations start up for the three plants is estimated for 2023. The total investment is USD 185 million. Long-term estimates are that the company will have the capacity to produce more than 50 million tonnes of green briquette per year resulting in a potential reduction in emissions of 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year through the use of this technology.
