Resources Technology Showcase: Rio Tinto’s Matt Holcz says company will be ‘daring’ to cut carbon
Mining giant Rio Tinto will need to “experiment” with green steel, slashing diesel and backing renewable power to drive down emissions, local iron ore boss Matt Holcz says.
Mr Holcz also backed in the long-term survival of the country’s biggest industry, iron ore, even amid the threat of the so-called “Pilbara Killer” Simandou project in Guinea.
He told Seven West Media’s Resources Technology Showcase industry forum on Tuesday that NeoSmelt — an iron manufacturing pilot plant to be built in Kwinana with BHP, Woodside, Mitsui and Bluescope — would be an opportunity to cut carbon emissions in steel-making.
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“We do have to experiment,” he said.
“We do have to dare to do things differently.
“We have explored a lot of different partnerships. some of those technologies will work, others we’ll have to make the decision to invest elsewhere.”
Top of the agenda to reduce emissions in WA would be switching off diesel, Mr Holcz said. The fuel is also particularly expensive, making it a prime target for replacement.
Rio was partnering with equipment manufacturers to trial battery-electric vehicles on site.
The company is also working with Traditional Owner groups to develop green power projects, including the Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation.
The renewable developments would reduce reliance on gas as a major electricity source for Rio’s Pilbara operations.
Originally published on The West Australian
