TransZeroWaste

Inspiration

Growing demand for high-quality iron ore and scrap, as well as the abandonment of carbon-intensive sintering in the future, require novel technological approaches to upgrading low-grade iron ore and recycling mill scale.

Innovation

TransZeroWaste technologies aim to upgrade and use low-quality iron ore and steel production by-products containing iron, focusing on the separation and reduction of impurities, as well as the enhancement of the valorization potential of low-quality scrap equivalents, while achieving a high recycling rate.

The project applies hydrometallurgy for mill scale de-oiling and uses this iron-rich scrap equivalent to upgrade low-grade iron ores. Specifically, the project develops low-carbon technologies such as cold pelletizing and briquetting, hot microwave pelletizing and magnet-supported hydrometallurgy.
The applied research will be developed and transferred to our two industrial partners with nine production sites.

Moreover, TransZeroWaste develops a decision-support platform to model the environmental, circularity and economic performances of steel production pathways.
LIST is in charge of coordinating the project, as well as modelling the environmental impact of TransZeroWaste technologies via Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods and developing the decision-support platform.

Impact

The outcomes of the TransZeroWaste project will help increase the resilience and competitiveness of the steel sector in Europe. As the transition to low-CO₂ DR and EAF routes leads to the shutdown of carbon-intensive processes such as sinter plants, BF, and BOF – which currently support a high recycling rate – the recyclability and usability of low-grade ore and scrap will also be significantly reduced.

The further development of TransZeroWaste technologies will contribute to climate-neutral and circular industrial value chains that support the transition towards low-CO2 DR and EAF production routes, enhancing the recycling potential to reduce the use of critical raw materials, and enabling the implementation of energy-efficient processes. Considering sinter plant operation generating between 161 and 368 kg CO2/t sinter (Best Available Techniques), the replacement of a sinter plant with low-carbon technologies for the 27 Mt/a of raw materials in question could save between 4.3 and 9.9 Mt CO2 annually. The replacement by TransZeroWaste technologies could ensure the recycling and upgrading of by-products containing iron and provide additional potential for low-CO2 zinc recovery.