Key Points
- SmeltDirect uses 70% less electricity than traditional smelting methods.
- The technology could help South Africa reclaim its ferroalloy industry leadership.
- Renewable energy and biocarbon could cut carbon emissions by 80%.
South Africa’s once-dominant position in ferroalloy production could be restored with a new smelting technology that processes low-grade minerals, decreases electricity use by 70%, lowers costs, and lowers carbon emissions.
SmeltDirect technology offers greener, cheaper ferroalloy production
SmeltDirect, a locally patented process, uses only 1.2 MW of power instead of the traditional 4 MW to create one ton of ferrochrome.
The decline of South Africa’s ferrochrome and ferromanganese industries may be halted by this economical, environmentally friendly, and clean innovation.
It might even result in the revival of businesses like Vanadium and Highveld Steel and the return of high-manganese rail manufacturing locally.
SmeltDirect, created since 2012 by African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), a company registered on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and led by executive chairman Dr. Patrice Motsepe, provides a 300% increase in energy efficiency. Additionally, existing mothballed furnaces may now run three times more efficiently thanks to the technology.
Furthermore, formerly unsaleable manganese and iron ores can now be processed, biocarbon can take the place of fossil fuel reductants, and renewable energy can be integrated.
Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 80% and Scope 3 emissions can be halved because to the technology’s utilization of biocarbon and renewable energy. The Machadodorp Works demonstration plant at ARM has received high appreciation from international specialists.
In an interview with Mining Weekly, Joubert stated, “We can collaborate with current producers and convert one furnace at a time.” We can decrease expenses, lessen our reliance on Transnet, and minimize carbon emissions by utilizing this technology. To introduce this technology to regional producers, the nation must come together.
Joubert listed three key components of the technology: lowering energy usage and carbon emissions, reducing dependency on Transnet for transportation, and reaching bottom-of-the-cost-curve production.
Economic potential: SmeltDirect and job creation in South Africa
Henk Bouwer of ARM emphasized SmeltDirect’s capacity to treat low-grade carbonate manganese ores, which are difficult for conventional technologies to smelt effectively, at the recent Chromium 2024 conference.
With this discovery, South Africa may be able to generate a great deal more stainless steel from its ferrochrome production and unleash enormous undiscovered resources.
According to mining weekly, It is obvious that creating green alloys with low electricity use has financial advantages. South Africa may create jobs and solve the logistical problems associated with ore exports by beneficiating its raw ore into higher-value alloys rather of exporting it.
For the ferroalloy sector in South Africa to remain competitive and realize its full potential, immediate measures are required. To safeguard the sector’s future and reinvigorate it, industry and government must work together.
