The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News – October 12, 2022
Rio Tinto's Fer et Titane metallurgical complex in Quebec produces titanium, scandium, steel, and other metal products critical to electric vehicles, 3D printing, and aerospace.
Metal 3D printing is among the emerging uses for the scandium to be produced by Rio Tinto. Weighing in at just 77 pounds, this Airbus APWorks motorcycle is printed from a scandium-aluminum-magnesium alloy known as Scalmalloy.
Mining giant Rio Tinto and the Canadian government have committed to investing up to C$737 million (US$537 million) into significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions at Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT), a metallurgical complex in Quebec that produces titanium, scandium, steel, and other metal products critical to electric vehicles, 3D printing, and aerospace.
"Rio Tinto is committed to being part of a net-zero future, from decarbonising our operations to finding new ways to produce the materials needed for the transition," said Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm. "We are excited to collaborate with the Government of Canada to position RTFT for the future and strengthen the critical minerals and metals value chains in Canada and the United States."
To support this effort to increase critical minerals production while lowering carbon dioxide emissions in Canada, Ottawa has committed C$222 million (US$162 million) over the next eight years. This funding is through the nation's Strategic Innovation Fund, which was established to back large-scale, transformative, and collaborative projects that help position Canada to prosper in the global knowledge-based economy.
"Good middle-class jobs, clean air, and made-in-Canada tech: this is our vision for a strong economy and a strong future," said Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "Today's announcement is about delivering on that vision and positioning Canada as a leader in critical minerals – a key part of things like electric vehicles. Together, we will continue to innovate, create good jobs, and keep our air clean."
BlueSmelting, which has the potential to reduce RTFT's total greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70%, is the most impactful initiative being funded by the Rio Tinto-Canada partnership.
One of the primary functions of RTFT is to process iron and the titanium mineral ilmenite to produce high-grade titanium dioxide, iron, and steel.
While titanium brings to mind the lightweight durable alloys used in high-end sports equipment such as golf clubs and bike frames, the titanium dioxide produced at RTFT is used as a pigment that imparts a durable white color to paints, paper, plastic, sunscreen, and even toothpaste.
BlueSmelting is an ilmenite smelting technology that could reduce the greenhouse gas emitted during the production of high-grade titanium dioxide feedstock, steel, and metal powders at RTFT by as much as 95%.
A demonstration plant is currently under construction at the metallurgical complex in Quebec to test and validate the BlueSmelting technology developed by scientists from Rio Tinto's Critical Minerals and Technology Centre.
Construction of the demonstration plant, which will have a capacity to process up to 40,000 metric tons of ilmenite ore per year, is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.
If fully implemented, Rio Tinto says the BlueSmelting project has the potential to eliminate 670,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions from RTFT per year, which is the equivalent to removing 145,000 internal combustion engine cars from the road.
While the mass majority of titanium consumed today is the titanium dioxide used as a whitening pigment, titanium metal is increasingly being demanded for high-performance alloys used by the aerospace, automotive, and medical sectors.
As part of its more than half-a-billion-dollar investment in RTFT, Rio Tinto is partnering with other titanium industry participants to advance the development of a new low-cost process for extracting and refining titanium metal at the Quebec complex.
A pilot plant to validate this low-cost process, which requires no harmful chemicals and does not generate direct greenhouse gas emissions, is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
If successful and scaled up to commercial production, this project would greatly increase North American production of the titanium metal that lends its exceptional weight-to-strength ratio to high-performance alloys for aerospace, medical implants, and sports equipment.
Further details of titanium dioxide and metal markets can be read at Titanium demand drivers are in whitening in the Critical Minerals Alliances magazine published in September 2021.
Adding to the critical metals that will be produced at RTFT, Rio Tinto is investing upwards of C$35 million (US$26 million) to quadruple the amount of high-purity scandium oxide at the Quebec facility.
Scandium has traditionally been used in lightweight and strong aluminum-scandium alloys for aerospace components and sports equipment. In recent years, however, solid oxide fuel cells have emerged as the primary demand driver for this metal. Advanced ceramic, electronics, lasers, lighting, and 3D printing are other 21st-century applications that are increasing the need for scandium.
Last year, Rio Tinto installed a commercial scale scandium demonstration plant at RTFT. At roughly three metric tons of scandium oxide per year, this first module accounts for roughly 20% of the current global market for this specialty metal.
With its new investment, Rio Tinto is planning to quadruple the production capacity to 12 metric tons of scandium oxide per year.
New modules will be added to the existing plant, which uses an innovative process to extract high-purity scandium oxide from the waste streams of titanium dioxide production, without the need for any additional mining.
RTFT is expected to start producing the larger quantities of high-purity scandium oxide in 2024.
This increased scandium output, coupled with the production of titanium metal, is expected to provide Canadian and U.S. manufacturers with a responsibly produced and secure supply for these critical metals.
Which is part of the reason Ottawa is investing so heavily into the RTFT projects.
"Supporting the growth of Canada's critical minerals supply chain will ensure that our country remains a global leader in this strategic sector," said Canada Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne. "Our government is committed to the sustainable development of critical minerals resources, creating good jobs, and building strong global supply chains while strengthening trade relationships with Canada's closest allies."
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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