GravitHy’s proposed two-million-tonnes-per-year iron production facility at Fos-sur-Mer, France, is planned to be commissioned in 2028. The facility, which is located next to a deep seaport, will feature ultra-low carbon hydrogen production infrastructure, powered by existing grid-connected nuclear power, to process direct reduction pellets into HBI. This process has the potential to reduce ironmaking-related CO₂ emissions by more than 90%.
José Noldin, CEO of GravitHy, said: “We are developing one of the most advanced ultra-low-carbon iron projects worldwide, designated by the French government as an ‘Industrial Project of Major National Interest’. By combining our business ambitions, agility, and technological capabilities with Rio Tinto’s global leadership in mining and steel decarbonisation, we are ensuring a solid sourcing and go-to-market strategy to help accelerate the development of this project.”
Simon Farry, Head of Steel Decarbonisation at Rio Tinto, said: “This collaboration is aligned with Rio Tinto’s steel decarbonisation strategy to accelerate the development of low-carbon Electric Arc Furnace steelmaking with high-grade iron as feedstock. This will allow us to both reduce our Scope 3 emissions and create valuable decarbonised pathways for our high-grade iron ore. We are excited to support GravitHy’s project and expand our understanding of the emerging green iron and steel market.”
