The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) announced Tuesday that an AISI project proposal to be conducted in collaboration with the University of Utah has been selected by the Department of Energy's Innovating Manufacturing Initiative for a $7.1 million award.
The project seeks to develop a new iron-making process based on the direct gaseous reduction of fine iron concentrates, iron being a primary ingredient in making steel. The new process aims to reduce the energy needed to make iron while reducing environmental emissions, especially carbon dioxide, by up to 50 percent.
"Our collaborative research with the Department of Energy (DOE) goes back more than 20 years and is an important factor in why the steel industry in the United States has the lowest energy intensity in the world," Thomas Gibson, President of the AISI, said. "We thank DOE for this award and look forward to working with our partners at DOE, the University of Utah, Berry Metal Company and our member companies to keep US manufacturers at the forefront of advances in steelmaking technology."