Page 13 - Steel Metallurgy eMagazine Volume April 2026

COMPANY FOCUS

EVEN WITHOUT GREEN
HYDROGEN, MOVING TO A
GAS-FIRED DR PLANT ALREADY
REDUCES CO₂ EMISSIONS BY
75 TO 85 PERCENT COMPARED
TO A BLAST FURNACE. THAT IS
ALREADY A HUGE STEP

becoming increasingly scarce globally,
so clients and mining companies are
looking to use lower-grade iron ores, and
we are actively working on that as well.
Several leading major transition projects includes the implementation of EAF Ultimate
On the digitalization side, we are
heavily focused on developing advanced
solutions for process optimisation, which electric arc furnaces — our Quantum DR Plant supply to the market. But indeed
improve energy efficiency, increase EAF and the Ultimate EAF, both excellent — we are developing our own HYFOR®
the use of green energy sources, and technologies on the market. technology. This is not positioned as
enhance yield and productivity, but also competition, but rather an extension of
improve safe operation. Technologies Our focus on DRI–EAF does not mean our DR technology portfolio. The main
like hydrogen-based ironmaking with we are stepping away from the BOF difference is that HYFOR® uses iron ore
our HYFOR® process, carbon capture, route. India is the fastest-growing market fines. We eliminate the requirement for
and electrified furnaces are now gaining around the globe, and in India, blast any beneficiation and agglomeration—
momentum. That, I would say, is the furnaces and the BOF route remain a we use the iron ore fines, directly as feed
major answer to your question. major technology request. We continue stock. This is, of course, far more widely
to support this area as well — we are available globally than high-grade ore.
NM : With what you mentioned, I currently a sub-supplier to an Indian The added advantage is that our clients
would assume the shift is more towards company for blast furnace equipment at can skip the pelletising plant — typically
the DRI–EAF route. Customers in India Durgapur. With respect to BOF plants, a huge investment, often close in cost
— primarily even Tata Steel, which this remains central in our metallurgical to the DR plant itself. The pelletizing
used to be strongly inclined towards technologies. We are one of the two main process also emits CO2, so bypassing it
blast furnaces — are now also focusing suppliers worldwide for BOF technology saves both cost and emissions. The fine
on EAF steelmaking. Is Primetals’ focus — in Linz, the LD process has been iron ore promotes the reduction kinetics
mainly on decarbonisation via the DRI– invented, which is still used for roughly and energy efficiency and the process
EAF route? 70% of the world’s crude steel production. essentially improves the material yield.
We are also by far the leading provider We are also developing the Smelter
NP : Our focus on decarbonisation of gas-cleaning systems (primary as well technology and in combination with
is indeed on the DRI–EAF route. We as secondary gas-treatment systems) for HYFOR® we intend to produce hot
are fully committed to our HYFOR® BOF plants globally, including waste heat metal or pig iron, similar to BF quality
technology as well. As you may know, and gas recovery solutions. but we can achieve potentially net-zero
we have been working together with emissions.
Midrex on DRI and HBI plants for more NM : I understand you had an
than 40 years — we are Midrex licensees arrangement with Midrex, but are you We began developing the HYFOR®
— and are currently building several planning to develop a DRI module of technology more than ten years ago
plants together with them, including your own in the long term? with small lab-scale tests at the Montan
one in Dillingen, Germany. We are also, University in Leoben followed by a pilot
of course, a very important supplier of NP : Midrex will remain a pillar in our plant in close partnership with

APRIL 2026 STEEL & METALLURGY 13