Fossil-free fuels, instead of coal and oil in LKAB's pellet process, are a necessary step towards the goal of becoming the first in the world with a value chain for fossil-free steel.
This in turn will reduce Sweden's total carbon dioxide emissions by ten percent.
Now the Hybrit initiative, a collaboration between SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall, has broken new ground.
The world's first iron ore pellets with one hundred percent bio-oil are produced.
- This is historic and we are incredibly proud to be the first in the world.
It makes us circular, and is one step closer to being a leading carbon dioxide-free player in a fossil-free value chain from mine to finished steel product, says Markus Petäjäniemi, Director of Marketing and Technology at LKAB.
To reduce emissions in Malmberget
In June, Hybrit operated a plant for bio-oil at LKAB's area in Malmberget.
The plant supplies one of LKAB's existing processing plants, and by using biofuel as a heat source, only in this plant, the fossil carbon dioxide emissions for the operations in Malmberget can be reduced by up to 40 percent.
- Bio-oil is an important step in the conversion process towards fossil-free.
We are pleased to have the first iron ore products produced with completely fossil-free fuels in place for further processing into steel, says Sofia Nordqvist, project manager for Hybrit.
Successful pilot trials in Luleå
In parallel, experiments are underway with other carbon dioxide-free and fossil-free heating techniques in LKAB's experimental facility in Luleå.
- We see that there are carbon dioxide-free fuel alternatives that at this early stage have worked well in the pilot trials.
From several aspects better than LKAB's traditional fuels coal and oil, says Christian Fredriksson, research engineer at LKAB.