LIBERTY Steel Committed to Secure the Future of Whyalla Steel Plant

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): LIBERTY Steel signed supply contract for low carbon electric arc furnace (EAF) from leading equipment manufacturer, Danieli. The landmark contract will mark the phase out of coal-based steelmaking, thus securing the future of Whyalla. The new furnace is expected to boost Whyalla’s steelmaking capacity from 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to over 1.5mtpa.

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The signing of the contract will enable Danieli to commission the construction of the EAF, which will initially be fed by domestic steel scrap and other Fe-bearing materials. This will deliver nearly 90% reduction in direct CO2 emissions in comparison with traditional blast furnace production. The patented Q-One technology will contribute towards eliminating indirect emissions from Whyalla’s new steelmaking facility.

LIBERTY Steel also proposes the installation of a 1.8mtpa Direct Reduction Plant (DRP) in Whyalla. The plant will initially use a mix of natural gas and green hydrogen as the reducing agent. However, it plans full transition to green hydrogen as it becomes available at scale. The plant will process local magnetite ore to produce low carbon iron, which can then be fed into the EAF in combination with scrap.

Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Chairman, LIBERTY Steel noted that Whyalla has some of the best conditions to make low carbon iron and steelmaking technologies.