The FerroSilva process in a nutshell

The FerroSilva process is based on the use of established technologies for biomass gasification and reduction of high value iron ore pellets in a shaft furnace.

Forestry by-products such as tops and branches are collected and chipped and then transported to the plant. There the chips are dried before being gasified in a fluidised bed. The raw gas must be purified from tar, among other things, before the carbon dioxide formed is removed and it can be used as process gas for reduction, known as syngas. The syngas produced in the FerroSilva process has the same composition of carbon monoxide and hydrogen as reformed natural gas, so the same type of shaft furnace process can be used.