Vale and China Southern University Launch Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy Joint Laboratory

Vale and China Southern University have inaugurated the Vale-China Southern University Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy Joint Laboratory in Changsha, Hunan Province, on April 8, 2024. Funded by a US$5.81 million donation from Vale, the Joint Laboratory is now operational and accessible to researchers across the mining and steel sectors.

Designed as a comprehensive research facility, the laboratory boasts six specialized functional areas dedicated to advancing low-carbon metallurgical processes. These include iron ore sorting and pre-treatment, low-carbon briquetting, functional materials preparation, integrated utilization of secondary resources, carbon emission reduction, and innovations in biomass and hydrogen metallurgy. Additionally, the facility features three pilot bases focused on low-carbon sintering, low-carbon pelletizing, and hydrogen-based direct reduction techniques.