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UNSW SMaRT Centre industry partner Molycop has been awarded a federal government grant to help further commercialise UNSW@SMaRT Green Steel Technology that uses waste rubber as a an alternative to coking coal in steel making.
The announcement was made by Acting Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Angus Taylor on behalf of the Government's Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC).
Further below is the joint UNSW SMaRT Centre and Molycop announcement, and immediately below links to various related announcements.
Below - joint UNSW SMaRT Centre and industry partner Molycop media release
7 October, 2021: Newcastle-based mining consumables producer and steel maker, Molycop, is one step closer to implementing UNSW’s patented Polymer Injection Technology (PIT) following the award of a commercialisation grant from the Australian Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC). The $750,000 grant was announced today by the Acting Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Angus Taylor and will be utilised to implement this technology at Molycop’s Waratah Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking facility and support research to further develop the technology. This innovative technology, also known as SMaRT@UNSW Green Steel technology, provides a responsible and sustainable recycling solution for end-of-life polymer materials such as tyres, conveyors belts and other rubber products. Industrial rubber boot manufacturer, Crawford Boots, will also partner with Molycop and UNSW to further enhance the recycling capability of this innovative technology.
The technology enables the recovery and reuse of the carbon and hydrogen from end-of-life rubber products in the EAF steelmaking process and the introduction of this technology simultaneously
- reduces Molycop’s reliance on imported carbonaceous materials from China,
- reduces the volume of problematic wastes going to landfill
- improves energy efficiency of the EAF steelmaking process
- further reduces the carbon intensity of Molycop’s steel products.
The total investment in this project is $2.6million which includes the AMGC grant, Molycop’s capital investment and the funding of ongoing R&D activities and trials to further increase this innovative technology’s resource recovery and recycling capability.
Molycop already holds a market leading position in terms of low carbon emissions due to the inherent advantages of its EAF steelmaking process compared to most of its competitors. In 2019 Molycop entered a long-term power purchase agreement backed by offtake agreements with the Bomen Solar Farm and Sapphire Wind Farm, making Molycop one of Australia’s largest supporters of renewable energy generation. To further enhance the company’s resource recovery capability, in April 2021 Molycop acquired the JLW Services business. This business has now been rebranded Molycop 360.
Molycop Australia President, Michael Parker said: “The implementation and further development of this green steel Polymer Injection Technology will further cement our position at the forefront of responsible and sustainable steelmaking. Molycop is committed to building the circular economy, recovering and reusing valuable materials from waste streams, reducing our carbon footprint and supporting customers’ sustainability goals”.
Director of the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre, Professor Veena Sahajwalla, who invented the technology, congratulated Molycop for its commitment to both implementing and further developing SMaRT@UNSW Green Steel technology as part of its sustainability leadership.
“The AMGC grant will enable Molycop to work towards fully operationalising our existing technology in its Newcastle facility,” Veena said. “And what’s also exciting is that we are collaborating in developing our Green Steel 2.0 technologies, which we are confident will at some point in the future allow us to be able to fully replace coking coal in EAF steel making with a range of waste materials,” Veena said. “Being able to release carbon and hydrogen from waste as a resource improves overall efficiency, and helps us move towards decarbonisation because hydrogen is present in waste.”
Molycop is also licensed to commercialise the technology internationally and is currently in discussions with international steelmaking companies.
ABOUT MOLYCOP
For over 100 years, Molycop has been a global market leader in the manufacture and supply of grinding media, mining chemicals, engineered fasteners and rail consumables. Molycop produces long life consumable products with maximum durability, designed to resist wear and deliver exceptional performance to mining customers.
Molycop’s twelve grinding media operations are strategically located around the world to service the growing global mining industry, particularly in the copper, gold and iron ore sectors. Molycop has operations located in Chile, Peru, Mexico, USA, Canada, Indonesia, Spain and Australia. For more information visit www.molycop.com.
Molycop’s Comsteel Railway Wheel business is an industry-leading manufacturer of high-performance rail wheels, axles and wheel sets. Comsteel is the only domestic manufacturer of railway wheels and axles supplied to the mining and rail industries. For more information visit www.comsteel.com
ABOUT THE UNSW CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY (SMaRT)
Founded in 2008 by ARC Laureate Fellow, Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla, the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) at the University of New South Wales works with industry, national and international research partners, and governments across Australia, on the development of innovative environmental solutions for the world’s biggest waste challenges. SMaRT@UNSW is renowned for pioneering the transformation of waste for use as a new generation of ‘green’ materials and products.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Molycop
Darren O’Connell
Vice President Global Marketing
Mob: 0466 015 800
UNSW SMaRT Centre
Stuart Snell
Strategy, Stakeholders and Communications
Mob: 0416 650 906