【Ferro-alloys.com】:Brazilian miner Vale plans to build eight more iron ore briquette plants, according to the president Eduardo Bartolomeu, as quoted by the local press. Bartolomeo mentioned that the plants are expected to be built in the Middle East, in the Gulf of Mexico region and in Brazil, areas where the price of the natural gas is competitive. He added that the company will give priority in the search of partnerships with its clients.

The self-reducing briquettes could replace coke, sinter and pellets in blast furnaces, with higher energy efficiency, high carbon credits and lower operational expenses. Briquettes are a mixture of iron ore fines and carbon units,agglomerated at low temperature, around 300 degrees Celsius, against 1,300 degrees Celsius for conventional pellets.

The carbon units can be obtained from different sources, including the thermal and coking coal grades or charcoal, depending on prices and availability. In the specific case of charcoal use, the carbon footprint of the process will result close to net-zero, meaning that the whole process, from the plantation of trees to the production of pig iron will result neutral for the environment.

• [Editor:Alakay]