Work starts at Green Metal Project in Australia

Located at the Green Energy Hub at the Christmas Creek iron ore mine, the $50m project is expected to produce over 1,500 tonnes per annum of ‘green metal’, whereby iron ore is processed into iron using renewable energy and with near zero carbon emissions. First production is anticipated in 2025.

The plant will use green hydrogen produced at Fortescue’s gaseous and liquid hydrogen facility, together with an electric smelting furnace to produce high purity green metal suitable for use in numerous steel plants globally.

In a statement, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, Fortescue executive chairman, said: “Iron and steel are the backbone of our infrastructure, however traditional iron and steel production processes are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. By rethinking the entire iron and steel value chain we can produce an entirely new, green industry here in Australia.

“[This] milestone is the culmination of bringing together green sustainable mining, large-scale renewable power and green hydrogen to produce green metal. Right now, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a green supply chain, and Fortescue is wasting no time to seize it.”

Fortescue’s recently commissioned green hydrogen plant can produce around 530kg of hydrogen gas per day, or around 195 tonnes annually. Powered partly by solar during the day, the plant comprises a gaseous hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) to refuel a fleet of 10 fuel cell electric vehicle hydrogen-powered coaches.

The Green Energy Hub also contains a hydrogen liquefaction facility, liquid hydrogen storage, and a liquid hydrogen refuelling station, along with Fortescue’s zero emissions decarbonisation prototypes.

“Hydrogen and fuels made using renewable energy will have a role to play in decarbonising mining, whether it’s in buses, heavy mining equipment such as haul trucks and excavators, or producing green iron,” said Dino Otranto, CEO of Fortescue Metals. “This renewable hydrogen plant is versatile, enabling us to produce gaseous and liquid hydrogen to be used to power our mining equipment prototypes, while also providing the added benefit of refuelling our fleet of coaches at Christmas Creek.”

The liquid hydrogen plant will be used to power Fortescue’s Offboard Power Unit and its hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype which recently arrived at Christmas Creek.

The Green Energy Hub also hosts Fortescue’s prototype battery electric haul truck and a 3MW fast charger prototype.