China: BHP joins hands with Baowu to boost research on low-carbon steelmaking

Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP has signed a joint research agreement with China’s Baowu Group and three universities – Shanghai Jiaotong University, Central South University and Northeastern University – to cooperate in low-carbon steelmaking production technology.

Carbon capture

The agreement aims to explore feasible carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology, devise a technical roadmap for the application of CCUS and explore the application of hydrogen-rich gas in iron-making.

BHP signed a memorandum of understanding with Baowu in Nov’20 to invest $35 million within five years to support the world’s top steelmaker in carrying out pilot projects and industrial-scale trials on smart carbon use (SCU), carbon-free iron-making and CCUS.

Senior representatives of Baowu Group pointed out that it is difficult for any steel enterprise to achieve low-carbon transformation by itself. The global steel industry needs an open platform to jointly explore low-carbon technologies. To this end, Baowu has launched the Global Low-Carbon Metallurgical Innovation Alliance to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Coke oven gas

Experts believe that CCUS is a key technology for the steel industry to achieve carbon neutrality.

Besides, Li Qihou, Director, Scientific Research Department of Central South University, says: “Coke oven gas is rich in hydrogen with a relatively high concentration. In the transitional stage of continuous cost reduction of green hydrogen, the application of coke oven gas in iron-making will help reduce emissions.”

Relying on the BHP-Baowu platform, Central South University will give full play to the advantages of double first-class disciplines such as mining and metallurgical engineering and materials science and engineering and make use of its experience in international industr–university-research cooperation to accelerate the implementation of low-carbon development of the steel industry.

Northeastern University has requisite expertise in the fields of mineral processing, ferrous metallurgy and hydrogen-based iron-making technology, a key technology for deep decarbonisation of the industry. BHP and Baowu can jointly promote the development and industrial application of this technology.