Sustainable steel making for “Make In India” – ND Rao, PMAI

India blessed with around 30 billion tons of Iron Ore Resource base (as on 2015), 20% High Grade, 30% Medium Grade & balance 50% Low Grade ore. All medium & low grade ores require to be processed through washing & beneficiation plants to enrich ore quality for use in Steel making.

Iron ore beneficiation & pelletisation plants with total capacity around 116 MTPA & 85 MTPA respectively have come up in the country to use these low grade iron ore fines.

It is expected the steel consumption will increase to around 150 kg/person/yr from existing level of 60 by 2030, which amounts around 200 million tons steel production. It is estimated by 2060, India will be a develop country with a population of 1600 million & highest in the world.

Considering present 100 million Tons Steel production & 85 million Tons of Pellet production per year, following CO2 emissions can be reduced per year for sustainable steel making.

Mining – As per FIMI, around 100 million tons of iron ore fines stocks are available in our country. Existing Iron ore Beneficiation units shall use these fines’ dumps, which in turn reduce further mining & reduction in CO2 emission by 0.09 Mil. Tons (0.9 KgCO2/t X 100 Mil. Tons)

Pipeline – Around 24 MTPA Iron ore slurry is being transported through underground pipeline from various Beneficiation Plants to respective Pellet Plants. It reduces CO2 emission by 0.8112 Mil. Tons (33.8) Kg CO2/t X 24mil. Tons) per annum comparing to road transport

Agglomeration – 85 MTPA Iron ore pellet production will reduce CO2 emission by 19.55 Mil. Tons ((230) Kg CO2/t X 85 Mil. Tons) per annum comparing to sintering process.

Iron & Steel Making – By use of 85 MTPA Iron ore pellets for iron & steel making will reduce CO2 emission by 26.7 Mil. Tonnes ((1255-941) Kg CO2/t X 85 Mil. Tonnes) per annum comparing to the use of sinters.

In total; around 47.15 Million Tons of CO2 emission per year can be reduced by changing to sustainable technology in Steel making value chain.

In order to ratify Paris climate deal, Steel makers have to reduce carbon foot print to achieve the below target set in Paris Climate deal

• CAPPING TEMP RISE < 2 deg C
• 35% REDUCTION IN EMISSION LEVELS BY 2030 FROM 2015 LEVEL
• $2.5 Trillion ESTIMATED INVESTMENT REQUIRED
• 40% OF OVERALL ENERGY MUST BE NON-FOSSIL FUEL BASED BY 2030
• ABOVE 25 Yrs OLD COAL BASED POWER PLANTS TO BE SHUTDOWN
• 34,278 Mw TO BE CLOSED.
• TOTAL COAL BASED CAPACITY 211,640 Mw (2015 CEA)