Melbourne, Aug 22, 2008 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ASX:ESI) advises that the patented Matmor single step steel making process that utilises a blend of brown coal and iron ore to create cleaner, low carbon steel, has been put to the test with a shipment of Mongolian brown coal.
The testing of the Mongolian sub-bituminous coal using the Matmor technology has proved successful, giving the company added confidence to offer its low-cost steel and iron making process to countries, like China and India, with billions of tonnes of the otherwise unviable resource.
ECT Chief Executive Kos Galtos said the recent test, done as part of the company's ongoing bench testing program, combined the Mongolian sub-bituminous coal (30%wt) with Tasmanian Savage River magnetite (60%wt, 62.5% Fe) and limestone (10%wt).
The result was greater than 90% recovery of the metal on successive tests producing a very low carbon (0.3%) and low sulphur (0.03%) metal.
"This test proves that the Matmor process works with sub-bituminous coal in addition to the already confirmed lignite and produces an ideal feedstock for the likes of secondary steel and iron production using Electric Arc or Induction furnaces," Mr Galtos said.
Areas such as Inner Mongolia have billions of tonnes of sub-bituminous coal and low grade iron ore deposits.
"We can now work towards offering a process that allows China, India and other countries to use their previously sub-commercial resources to make steel and iron."
Matmor is a unique, continuous flow, one-step process for producing high grade pig iron/steel using brown coal.
The benefits of Matmor include:
- Coking coal (which can sell for up to $350 on the spot market) can be replaced with sub-bituminous coal (which can cost from $5-$10 a tonne to mine)
- Significantly reduced emissions are estimated as much as 50% of a standard steel making plant
- Can use high grade iron ore or low grade (waste) iron ore
- Capital expenditure is estimated to be less than half that of a comparable traditional blast furnace since there is no need for coking ovens and sinter plants
---------------------------------------------------- Raw Input Traditional Steel Making Matmor----------------------------------------------------Coal $243 (coking coal) $10 (sub-bituminous)----------------------------------------------------Iron Ore (65% Fe) $160 $155----------------------------------------------------Flux (Limestone) $20 $10----------------------------------------------------Total $423 $175----------------------------------------------------
Table 1: Matmor technology is a low cost steel making option using brown coal
Matmor is still in its Research and Development phase with the next stage focused on scaling up to a 6,000 tonne per annum small scale commercial plant.
About Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd
Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ASX:ECT) is in the business of commercialising leading-edge coal and iron making technologies, which are capable of delivering financial and environmental benefits.
We are focused on advancing a portfolio of technologies, which have significant market potential globally.
ECT's business plan is to pragmatically commercialise these technologies and secure sustainable, profitable income streams through licencing and other commercial mechanisms.
| ||
|
