Magnum Mining & Exploration (ASX:MGU) has signed an agreement with the Wickers Group of Sweden for the joint development of a novel combination of technologies to produce pulp, bio-chemicals, and green pig iron.
The agreement establishes the material terms and conditions on which Magnum and Wickers can work cooperatively to develop projects that will combine a Pulp and Paper plant with a HIsmelt plant to produce pulp, lumber, bio-chemicals and “green” pig iron in Europe and/or North America during a two-year period.
Wickers has experience in designing, building, and operating Pulp and Paper plants and associated co-product technologies in Europe.
One of the co-products of a Pulp and Paper Plant is biochar that can be used in a HIsmelt furnace to smelt iron ore and produce green pig iron.
Further synergy will be effected by the transfer of excess steam from the HIsmelt plant to provide heat for the Pulp and Paper Plant.
Non-executive director Neil Goodman says Wickers has developed a combination of existing Pulp and Paper industry technologies that will produce pulp and lumber from pulp timber and forestry waste, and co-produce biochar, green fertiliser, bio-alcohol, proteins and bio-CO2.
“The biochar will be a great reductant for a HIsmelt furnace that will smelt iron ore and steel plant waste to produce green pig iron. As an extra bonus, the HIsmelt plant produces excess steam from its waste gas, and this can be fed back to the Pulp Plant to provide heat for the processes,” he says.
Wickers CEO Mikael Carlsson labels the combination with Magnum to develop the synergies between our Pulp and Paper technologies and the HIsmelt technology the “BioCombine”. “And our teams have started working together to attract investors and industry partners, and investigate potential sites for the first BioCombine plant,” Carlsson adds.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Magnum
