Japanese steelmaker Kobe Steel is collaborating with the iron-ore major Vale and global trading and investment company Mitsui on providing low carbon dioxide (CO2) iron metallic and iron-making solutions.
Kobe says the direct reduction iron-making technology of its US subsidiary, Midrex Technologies, is expected to play an important role in promoting the low CO2 initiative.
The Midrex process uses natural gas, or gas derived from coal, to reduce iron-ore for use in steelmaking. Kobe says its CO2 emission level is lower than that of blast furnaces.