The Green Steel issue is fascinating. Dino Otranto of Fortescue spoke about it extensively at the CEDA conference (along side Minister King and GW). He forecast that Fortescue would be producing 2,000 tonnes per annum in 12 months. And his feed stock is hematite (Fe2O3 ) which is 55 to 60% iron ore, the balance mainly being silicone dioxide (sand).
Speewah does not have hematite. The iron ore to be extracted will be magnetite (Fe3O4) and it will be close to 100% pure.
In a traditional blast furnace coke is burned to produce carbon monoxide. (2C + O2 → 2CO) The carbon monoxide then reduces the hematite to magnetite. This occurs at about 1,6500C. At the same time the silica combines with limestone and is converted into slag. (SiO2 + CaO → CaSiO3).
Lower down in the blast furnace, and at a much lower temperature (less than 6000C) the magnetite is reduced to metallic iron, again with carbon monoxide being the reducing agent. (Fe2O3 + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO2). In other words magnetite is an intermediary step in the production of metallic iron if you start with hematite.
I have had a quick chat with Mr Google regarding the reduction of iron ore (hematite) to metallic iron using hydrogen as the reducing agent. Unsurprisingly the process is similar. The hematite is reduced to magnetite using hydrogen as the reducing agent. Then with the addition of further hydrogen the magnetite is reduced to metallic iron.
In other words the iron ore we will be producing from the Speewah deposit is half way processed to becoming metallic iron, and the second half of the process does not require the extreme temperatures of a blast furnace.
Pro. You are correct to be intrigued by the prospect of green steel. And I think the iron ore we will be producing is well on the way to becoming green steel.
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