https://www.miningweekly.com

South Africa’s ferrochrome smelters going green in an exemplary manner

1st April 2022

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

     

Font size: - +

Energy-intensive ferrochrome smelting operations are choosing to go green in an exemplary manner. Firstly, they are making the full use of their obnoxious offgases by converting the carbon dioxide in them to clean electricity. Staying on site, they are then extracting the best renewable potential from sun and wind in and around their operations.

Their final step is then to go off site and bring in South Africa’s best high-volume solar power and wind power, no matter the distance from site. All speak of this being a good business case and a good moral case in that it lowers costs at the fastest possible rate, satisfies those buying smelted products on domestic and export markets, and contributes towards mitigating against climate change, a global imperative.

Moreover, ferrochrome is the key ingredient of stainless steel, a material that earns green credentials for being 100% recyclable. In fact, according to Google, more than half of all the stainless steel materials in use have been sourced from scrap materials. “What’s more,” says Google, “stainless steel production does not produce toxic run-off.” Local ferrochrome production is thus chrome beneficiation at its best, and every effort should be made to assist South Africa to regain its former top global market share position.

To watch Creamer Media's latest video reports, click here
 

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION