Fortescue has marked a new milestone in its mission to build a green metal supply chain with the start of works at its Green Metal Project in the Pilbara.
Located at the Green Energy Hub at Christmas Creek, the US$50 million project is expected to produce more than 1,500 tonnes per annum of green iron metal, with first production anticipated in 2025.
The plant will use green hydrogen produced at Fortescue’s gaseous and liquid hydrogen facility, the largest of its kind in Australia, together with an electric smelting furnace to produce high purity green metal. This will be suitable for use in almost any steel plant globally.
Fortescue Executive Chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, was joined by Fortescue Metals Chief Executive Officer, Dino Otranto, for a ceremony to mark the start of civil works at the Christmas Creek site.
“Today is a celebration of innovation, collaboration and stretch targets, and marks a pivotal moment in Fortescue’s journey to build a green metal supply chain,” Dr Forrest said.
Christmas Creek is also the site for trials of Fortescue’s hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype, Europa.
The Liebherr T 264 haul truck will be tested in an authentic mining environment to help inform the company’s future fleet of zero emission haul trucks.
Once commissioned on site, Europa will be refuelled with liquid hydrogen from a gaseous and liquid hydrogen plant at Fortescue’s Green Energy Hub at Christmas Creek.
Mr Otranto said: “It’s fantastic to have our hydrogen-powered haul truck prototype now joining its battery electric equivalent, Roadrunner, up at site.
“Europa integrates for the first time a Fortescue Zero battery into a Liebherr haul truck, marking a huge milestone in our partnership with Liebherr.
“Over the next five years we’ll be working with Liebherr to develop a fleet of zero emission haul trucks, which will be progressively deployed across our sites from 2026.”
Read the green metals project article here.