The Process

HydroMOR is a unique method for producing high-quality iron from inexpensive, abundant brown coal and iron oxide bearing material such as mill scale, nickel tailings and, of course, high or low-grade iron ore.

Stage 1: Composite Pellet Production

• Using the Coldry Process, the raw materials are milled to <8mm, combined with a small amount of water, mixed and extruded
• The extruded mixture is conditioned until dry-to-the-touch
• The semi-dry pellets are conveyed into a vertical packed bed dryer, where warm air provided by waste heat is circulated through the bed of pellets, removing the evaporated moisture
• The Composite Pellets are discharged at the base of the dryer and conveyed to the HydroMOR Retort

Stage 2: HydroMOR Retort

• The Composite Pellets are charged via the top of the HydroMOR Retort
• The Retort heats the pellets in a reducing atmosphere
• As the Composite Pellets travel down the retort, various reactions take place:
  • Gasification of the volatile matter in the lignite produces hydrocarbon gases
  • Catalytic thermal decomposition of the hydrocarbons produces hydrogen
  • Hydrogen reduces the iron oxide to iron, producing H₂O or water-gas
  • Reactions within the retort result in the chemical looping of hydrogen, amplifying reduction
• The reduced pellets are discharged at the base of the retort and contain carbon, iron and ash
• The reduced pellets can be cooled and stored or melted in an electric arc or induction furnace for secondary steelmaking
• The liquid metal is then cast to the desired product format

Features & Benefits

The advantages of the HydroMOR Process over traditional blast furnace iron making are:

• Replacement of expensive metallurgical coal with cheap, abundant lignite
• The opportunity to replace expensive high-grade Iron Ore (60%+Fe) with cheaper, low-grade Iron Ore
• Able to recover iron from millscale and other waste materials
• Process requires significantly less heat/energy
• Capital cost less than traditional blast furnaces for equivalent production capacity
• Recirculation of waste gases minimises emissions
• Lignite, as a reductant, is more chemically reactive than the black coal currently used in traditional primary iron production.

The advantages over alternate Iron making processes are:

• HydroMOR is the only lignite-based process
• Economic at a smaller scale
• Lower emissions
• Able to recover iron from waste streams such as millscale and nickel tailings