The partnership will support technological innovations that represent a first step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from RTFT’s titanium dioxide, steel and metal powders business by up to 70 per cent. It will also progress initiatives to diversify RTFT’s product portfolio.
The Canadian government is investing up to $162m over the next eight years to support these initiatives through its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
In a statement, Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau said: “Good middle-class jobs, clean air, and made-in-Canada tech: this is our vision for a strong economy and a strong future. Today’s announcement is about delivering on that vision and positioning Canada as a leader in critical minerals – a key part of things like electric vehicles.”
The partnership will support initiatives including the BlueSmelting project, described as an ilmenite smelting technology that could generate 95 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than RTFT’s current reduction process. According to Rio Tinto, this will enable production of high-grade titanium dioxide feedstock, steel and metal powders with a reduced carbon footprint.
A demonstration plant, currently being built at the RTFT metallurgical complex, is expected to have the capacity to process up to 40,000 tonnes of ilmenite ore per annum, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.
BlueSmelting could deliver a reduction of up to 70 per cent in RTFT’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, a decrease of approximately 670,000 tCO2e based on 2021 emissions.
Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said: “Rio Tinto is committed to being part of a net-zero future, from decarbonising our operations to finding new ways to produce the materials needed for the transition.”
Other initiatives include quadrupling the production of scandium, a material used in solid oxide fuel cells and aluminium alloys, to 12 tonnes annually by adding modules to existing plant. These will use an innovative process to extract high purity scandium oxide from the waste streams of titanium dioxide production without the need for additional mining.
Rio Tinto is partnering also with other titanium industry participants to advance the development of a new process for extracting and refining titanium.
To this end, Rio Tinto is setting up a pilot plant at RTFT to validate this low-cost process which requires no harmful chemicals and does not generate direct greenhouse gas emissions. The plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
Lamp post charging back in play after advice review
A helpful contribution to the problem. However it doesn't go anywhere near far enough. At best with 50m separation on one fo the sides of the...