According to foreign media news in October, diversified mining company Rio Tinto announced plans to invest up to C $737 million over the next eight years to decarbonize its Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) business in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, And positioned the business as a centre of excellence in the processing of key minerals.
The mining company said the partnership with the Canadian government will support technological innovation and is the first step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from RTFT's titanium dioxide, steel and metal powder operations by up to 70 per cent.
The company will also push ahead with initiatives to diversify its RTFT portfolio, cementing Rio's leadership as a North American supplier of key minerals to key growth industries such as electric vehicles, 3D printing and aerospace.
The Government of Canada will invest up to C $222 million over the next eight years to support these initiatives through its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), which supports large-scale, transformative and collaborative projects that will help Canada thrive in the global knowledge economy.
Jakob Stausholm, chief executive, said: "Rio Tinto is committed to being part of a zero-carbon future, from decarbonising our business to finding new ways to produce the materials needed for the transition. We are excited to partner with the Canadian government to position RTFT for the future and strengthen the critical mineral and metal value chain in Canada and the United States."
The partnership will support projects such as BlueSmelting, an ilmenite smelting technology that produces 95 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than RTFT's current reduction process, enabling the production of high-grade titanium dioxide feedstock, steel and metal powders with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
A demonstration plant is currently under construction at the RTFT Metallurgical complex in Sorreltasi to test and validate the technology, developed by scientists at Rio Tinto's Centre for Key Minerals and Technologies. Construction of the demonstration plant is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023, and the plant will have an annual processing capacity of 40,000 tons of ilmenite.
If fully implemented, the BlueSmelting project will have the potential to reduce RTFT's total GHG emissions by up to 70 percent, about 670,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over 2021 emissions, equivalent to eliminating emissions from 145,000 cars.
The partnership will also help increase scandium production. Rio Tinto said it was planning to quadruple its production capacity to 12 tonnes a year from the current 3 tonnes after becoming the first North American producer earlier this year.
New modules will be added to the existing plant, which uses an innovative process to extract high-purity scandium oxide from wastewater from titanium dioxide production without any additional mining. The C $30 million to C $35 million project is expected to begin production of scandium oxide in 2024.
The tie-up will also allow Rio to add titanium to its portfolio.
The mining company will work with other titanium industry players to advance the development of new processes for extracting and refining the metal titanium. Titanium is a high-performance material used in the medical, aerospace and automotive industries.
Rio Tinto is building a pilot plant at the RTFT Metallurgical complex to demonstrate the effectiveness of the low-cost process, which requires no hazardous chemicals and produces no direct greenhouse gas emissions. The plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
The project has the potential to significantly increase raw titanium production in North America, while strengthening the security of supply of this critical mineral to manufacturers in Canada and the United States.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "Good middle-class jobs, clean air and made-in-Canada technology: That's our vision for a strong economy and a better future. Today's announcement is about fulfilling that vision and positioning Canada as a leader in critical minerals - a key component in products such as electric vehicles. Together, we will continue to innovate, create good jobs, and keep our air clean."
