Technology

Low-Temperature Iron With Zero Carbon Emissions

We electrify the refinement of low-grade iron ores to high-purity iron at 60 °C (the temperature of coffee) by leveraging proven industrial-scale electrochemical and hydrometallurgical processes. Subsequently, pure iron can be converted to steel using electricity-powered arc furnaces (EAFs) used today to produce 70% of US steel.

Iron ore is known to be slow to dissolve and hard to keep in solution while removing impurities. Our electrochemical process not only accelerates the dissolution of iron ore and keeps iron in solution, but also removes impurities, leaving a pure, clean iron solution for electroplating. This impurity removal process allows Electra to utilize low-grade ores (below 55% iron content), millions of tonnes of which have already been mined. With a dwindling supply of naturally occurring high grade ores, efficiently utilizing low grade ores is critical to building a sustainable steel industry.
Low-Grade Iron Ore & Mine Waste

Low-Grade Iron Ore & Mine Waste

We’ve cracked the code of using low-cost, low-grade ores, which are treated as waste today commonly due to high silica, phosphorus, and alumina impurities. With the world facing a shortage of ores with high iron content and low-impurity levels, we’re tapping into these widely available low-grade ores and mine waste to decrease our operating costs while creating economic value, and improving sustainability from an under-utilized, abundant resource.

Low-Grade Iron Ore & Mine Waste

We’ve cracked the code of using low-cost, low-grade ores, which are treated as waste today commonly due to high silica, phosphorus, and alumina impurities. With the world facing a shortage of ores with high iron content and low-impurity levels, we’re tapping into these widely available low-grade ores and mine waste to decrease our operating costs while creating economic value, and improving sustainability from an under-utilized, abundant resource.

Lowest-Cost Green Energy

Lowest-Cost Green Energy

We use the lowest-cost, intermittent renewable electricity to power the bulk of our process, meaning we can start and stop production on demand. This, alongside low-temperature processing significantly decreases our capital and operational costs.

Lowest-Cost Green Energy

We use the lowest-cost, intermittent renewable electricity to power the bulk of our process, meaning we can start and stop production on demand. This, alongside low-temperature processing significantly decreases our capital and operational costs.

High Value-in-Use Iron

High Value-in-Use Iron

Our clean iron with near-zero silica, phosphorus, and sulfur impurities will potentially provide the highest economic value in use for EAF steelmakers. As a high-quality ore-based metal, Electra’s clean iron also allows EAFs to recycle a broader range of scrap in their steel production processes, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable and circular steel industry.

High Value-in-Use Iron

Our clean iron with near-zero silica, phosphorus, and sulfur impurities will potentially provide the highest economic value in use for EAF steelmakers. As a high-quality ore-based metal, Electra’s clean iron also allows EAFs to recycle a broader range of scrap in their steel production processes, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable and circular steel industry.

Premium EAF Steel

Premium EAF Steel

Our clean, high-purity iron allows EAF steelmakers to replace higher impurity pig iron and other high-emission ore-based iron feeds; leading to premium and advanced grades of steel with the lowest embodied emissions.  Electra’s clean iron offers a clear “line of sight” from steel plants to automakers to consumers who are increasingly demanding greener low or zero carbon emission products.

Premium EAF Steel

Our clean, high-purity iron allows EAF steelmakers to replace higher impurity pig iron and other high-emission ore-based iron feeds; leading to premium and advanced grades of steel with the lowest embodied emissions.  Electra’s clean iron offers a clear “line of sight” from steel plants to automakers to consumers who are increasingly demanding greener low or zero carbon emission products.