Abstract
For centuries ironmaking has seen conscious and sustainable transformations in the industry, where big steps are taken based on interactive practical experience, and after years of scientific development to embrace the transformation. Fuel density and reducing agent availability has been the backbone to stablish an ironmaking route globally. Despite all that, the need to decarbonize the industry, a hard to abate sector where the carbon is intrinsic related with the process and do not have only a thermic purpose, have a challenge to accelerate and deploy solutions reliable and economic viable at no clear scenarios of carbon cost.
On of the great paradigms lays in the iron ore agglomeration: one of the backbones to cut by half the emission moving the primary iron production from Blast furnace to Direct Reduction process. Couple tons of carbon emitted in the pelletizing process can move drastically the industry, particularly in a scenario where hydrogen become feasible in large scale. Quebec Iron Ore concentrate has demonstrated his capacity to be upgrade and produce DR grade pellet, which could place Quebec in a strong driver in the global ironmaking decarbonization.
Alternatively, the few tons of carbon emitted during the binding of iron ore grains has been also of great concern. The cold bonding process has been seen a great push in the last couple years, and Quebec Iron Ore has further developed this alternative, in the sinter process will become obsolete and helping drastically reduce the carbon emitted. In meanwhile, pelletizing process has been improved and solution has been applied in the industry in different maturity level, making possible to foreseen technological routes for carbon avoidance in iron ore agglomeration.