Fortescue begins work on green metals project

Mining and green energy company Fortescue has begun works at its Green Metal Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Located at the Green Energy Hub at Christmas Creek, the US$50 million project is expected to produce more than 1,500 tonnes per annum of green metal, with first production anticipated in 2025.

The plant will use green hydrogen produced at Fortescue’s gaseous and liquid hydrogen facility, the largest of its kind in Australia, together with an electric smelting furnace to produce high purity green metal. This will be suitable for use in almost any steel plant globally.

Earlier this week Fortescue’s hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype ‘Europa’ arrived in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for site testing.

Fortescue Executive Chairman Dr Andrew Forrest said: “Today is a celebration of innovation, collaboration and stretch targets, and marks a pivotal moment in Fortescue’s journey to build a green metal supply chain.

“Iron and steel are the backbone of our infrastructure, however traditional iron and steel production processes are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

“By rethinking the entire iron and steel value chain we can produce an entirely new, green industry here in Australia.

“Today’s milestone is the culmination of bringing together green sustainable mining, large-scale renewable power and green hydrogen to produce green metal – right now, we have a once in a generation opportunity to build a green supply chain, and Fortescue is wasting no time to seize it.”

Fortescue’s recently commissioned green hydrogen plant can produce around 530 kilograms of hydrogen gas per day, or around 195 tonnes annually. Powered partly by solar during the day, the plant comprises a gaseous hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) to refuel a fleet of 10 fuel cell electric vehicle hydrogen-powered coaches. The gaseous HRS was supported by the WA Government’s Renewable Hydrogen Fund through a $2 million grant.

The Green Energy Hub also contains a hydrogen liquefaction facility, liquid hydrogen storage, and a liquid-hydrogen refuelling station, along with Fortescue’s zero emissions decarbonisation prototypes.

Fortescue Metals Chief Executive Officer Dino Otranto said: “Fortescue is moving at rapid speed to decarbonise and the completion of our hydrogen facility…is testament to our commitment to leading heavy industry in decarbonising.

“Hydrogen and fuels made using renewable energy will have a role to play in decarbonising mining, whether it’s in buses, heavy mining equipment such as haul trucks and excavators, or producing green iron.

“This renewable hydrogen plant is versatile, enabling us to produce gaseous and liquid hydrogen to be used to power our mining equipment prototypes, while also providing the added benefit of refuelling our fleet of coaches at Christmas Creek.”

Further reading:
Fortescue’s hydrogen haul truck gets to work

Image: Fortescue/hydrogen fuel cell dump truck refuelling