WA could become a major player in the global green steel industry, thanks to its abundant, low-cost clean energy.
A new report highlights how the state’s abundant and low-cost clean energy could supply high-grade iron feedstock products to steelmakers.
A five step plan
The report maps out five pathways for the use of WA's iron ore for green steelmaking.WA is a world-leading supplier of iron ore, and a state bathed in renewable resources.
One of the pathways would involve exporting hematite and magnetite concentrates - forms of iron ore - that have been mined using renewable electricity.
A transition to greener iron ore mining in this way would reduce emissions by 0.07 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel produced.
A second pathway would expand WA's existing operations to deliver a new product, green pellets.Made using renewable hydrogen they could be used in iron and steelmaking technologies.
The third and fourth pathways involve the use of green pellets to produce hot briquetted iron (HBI).
The fifth and final pathway involves producing green steel within Australia.However, hydrogen and renewable energy costs have to fall to make this viable.