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Fortescue Uses Metso’s DRI Technology for Christmas Creek Green Metal Project
11/18/2025 - Fortescue Ltd. has selected Metso to contribute the core process design and technology for its Christmas Creek Green Metal Project in Pilbara, Western Australia.
“Through the Christmas Creek Green Metal Project, we’re combining cutting-edge technologies, including Metso’s CircoredTM process and DRI smelting furnace, with Fortescue’s proven track record in project delivery, to pioneer low-emission pathways for steelmaking,” said Dino Otranto, chief executive officer of metals and operations at Fortescue.
The companies said the project will showcase production of high-purity green metal using renewable energy for hydrogen-based reduction and smelting technologies for further downstream steel processing.
“The Circored process uses solely green hydrogen instead of fossil reductants. This flexible fine ore-based fluid bed process, which does not need pelletization, produces highly metalized direct reduced iron (DRI) that can directly be used as feed material in electric smelting furnaces for carbon-free steelmaking, using low-grade iron feed,” said Attaul Ahmad, vice president of ferrous and heat transfer at Metso.
The initial project will have an output of 1,500 metric tons annually; studies are underway to develop a commercial-scale facility.
“The ambitious target for the Metso DRI Smelting furnace technology is to unlock utilization of these massive iron ore reserves for green ironmaking, when such iron ores previously have been not suitable for the DRI steelmaking route due to higher gangue content,” said Jyrki Makkonen, vice president of smelting at Metso.
The companies said the project will showcase production of high-purity green metal using renewable energy for hydrogen-based reduction and smelting technologies for further downstream steel processing.
“The Circored process uses solely green hydrogen instead of fossil reductants. This flexible fine ore-based fluid bed process, which does not need pelletization, produces highly metalized direct reduced iron (DRI) that can directly be used as feed material in electric smelting furnaces for carbon-free steelmaking, using low-grade iron feed,” said Attaul Ahmad, vice president of ferrous and heat transfer at Metso.
The initial project will have an output of 1,500 metric tons annually; studies are underway to develop a commercial-scale facility.
“The ambitious target for the Metso DRI Smelting furnace technology is to unlock utilization of these massive iron ore reserves for green ironmaking, when such iron ores previously have been not suitable for the DRI steelmaking route due to higher gangue content,” said Jyrki Makkonen, vice president of smelting at Metso.
