While the hydrogen sector is still in the process of being set up, Mauritania wants to take advantage of this relatively new solution to decarbonise the production and export of its iron to the world market.
This is the aim of a partnership recently signed with Australian energy company CWP Global.
Under the partnership recently signed between Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) and Australian energy company CWP Global, Mauritania will set up a hub for the production of pre-reduced iron ore, which will then be converted into hot briquetted iron (HBI) using green hydrogen.
HBI is a superior form of iron ore that has been compacted at a temperature in excess of 650°C (at the time of compaction) and has a density in excess of 5,000 kg/m3.
According to the International Ferrous Metals Association (IIMA), HBI was developed to overcome the problems associated with shipping and handling pre-reduced iron ore.
HBI produced using green hydrogen is seen as a key ingredient in the decarbonisation of the steel industry and is expected to be in high demand as Europe implements industrial decarbonisation policies and targets.
Green HBI replaces the processing of raw iron currently carried out by blast furnaces, which emit around two tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) for every tonne of iron ‘reduced’ to make steel.
According to CWP, the project developed with SNIM will reduce millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The green hydrogen, water and electricity that will power Mauritania’s HBI production will be supplied by CWP as part of its “Aman” project.
Launched in 2022 with the approval of the Mauritanian authorities, this project involves the development of 30 GW of renewable energy production capacity for the production of green hydrogen.
CWP expects to be able to produce 1.7 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year for local use and export.
The development of this energy will support the decarbonisation of the steel industry at a time when Mauritania wants to become a leading player in the global iron market.
SNIM, which has a monopoly on iron production, produces between 12.7 and 13 million tonnes a year, making Mauritania the 15th largest iron producer in the world and the 2nd largest in Africa behind South Africa. New projects are currently being developed in the country, with the hope of achieving production of 40 million tonnes a year.