Global mining group Rio Tinto has awarded aggregates, mining and metals services and solutions provider Metso the detailed design and engineering contract for their continuous pilot plant (CPP) for the BioIron process.
The contract is an extension of the work that Rio Tinto and Metso have been undertaking together on the development of the BioIron process, the effectiveness of which was successfully proven through small-scale pilot tests conducted at Metso’s research centre in Frankfurt, Germany.
Rio Tinto aims to move further towards full-scale implementation of the BioIron technology through operation of a CPP, with Metso being entrusted with the detailed design of the CPP’s reduction furnace and certain other equipment for the BioIron process.
“This work is the key next step in the development of the BioIron technology and builds on the success of the research and development team,” says Rio Tinto steel decarbonisation GM David Leigh.
Metso ferrous director Matthias Gabriel says the company “looks forward to providing engineering and design support as we move to the next phase of development of the BioIron technology”.