NEOSMELT

Heavy industry decarbonisation faces many challenges including significant upfront capital costs, availability and cost of renewable energy and green hydrogen, decarbonisation technology performance and scalability, and surety of market demand for lower greenhouse gas emission products. BlueScope, BHP, Rio Tinto, Mitsui Iron Ore Development and Woodside (Joint Venture Partners) are seeking to mitigate challenges in the decarbonisation of steel production through cooperation across industry and government, and the proliferation of learnings related to an innovative technology pathway: DRI-ESF (Direct Reduced Iron - Electric Smelting Furnace) project involves the development of a Pilot facility to validate the technology pathway.

The project is currently in Feasibility to inform a deeper understanding of the commercial and technical requirements to establish a successful Pilot. The Joint Venture Partners plan to validate the use of a DRI - electric smelting furnace (ESF) technology pathway for a first-of-a-kind Pilot ("Pilot") using Pilbara iron ores.

Refer to www.neosmelt.au for more project information.

The Feasibility Phase of the project has commenced and is currently anticipated to be completed by Mid-2026 with a Final Investment Decision (FID) to be made shortly thereafter.
If the Pilot is approved, work for Execution will commence and Procurement activities to supply resources (labour, material, equipment) are anticipated to commence around that time. Procurement activities will be undertaken by a BlueScope led team utilising ICN to assist with identifying potential suppliers and contractors.

ICN will manage the EOI phase(s) and be the conduit for responding to EOI submission queries and or status.
BlueScope will directly issue tenders to and correspond with selected tenderer(s).

BlueScope will advise tenderers of their success or otherwise and, where requested, will provide feedback.