Miner TNG looks to green hydrogen reduction of ores

Mining company TNG Ltd is considering using hydrogen rather than coke in the processing stream for its planned vanadium-titanium-iron project at Mount Peake in the Northern Territory.

The company has engaged Metso Outotec to study ways of utilising hydrogen as a single reductant as part of TNG’s novel Tivian hydrometallurgical process flowsheet envisaged for the mine.

TNG is separately been studying in partnership with German-based engineering firm SMS Group the potential for green hydrogen production at the site to provide a source of hydrogen.

According to TNG: “The use of hydrogen is a key part of the company’s medium to long term strategy to reduce its net carbon footprint from processing operations at the Mount Peake project.”

Following beneficiation at the mine it is envisaged that ores will be transferred to a rotary kiln where coke would traditionally be added to reduce iron oxides.

Now it is looking at incorporating Metso Outotec’s Circored hydrogen technology with the aim of reducing the project’s carbon footprint.

TNG CEO Paul Burton said: “We are very encouraged by the opportunity to potentially reduce carbon emissions from the processing operations at Mount Peake by using Metso Outotec’s Circored technology.

“TNG aspires to make the Mount Peake project a class leader in terms of carbon emissions and the use of renewable energy, and we are actively assessing opportunities across the mining and processing to help us achieve this objective.”

Picture: TNG Ltd