ArcelorMittal Mining Canada has been awarded a CAD$4.5m grant from the Québec government which will go towards fuelling its pellet plant with a greater proportion of alternative fuels.

The grant will finance a pilot project being initiatied at one of ArcelorMittal's two production lines at its Port-Cartier pellet plant, enabling the furnace to cook pellet using liquid natural gas and a reduced amount of conventional fuel oil in a bid to help create a lower carbon future.

Pierre Lapointe, CEO of ArcelorMittal Mining Canada, welcomed the support of the Québec government, explaining that the project will result "in reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of more than 30% compared with oil-based fuel, while also significantly reducing emissions of sulphur and other pollutants."

He added: "ArcelorMittal Mining Canada recognises the importance of the LNG sector for the future of our company and we are also very proud to be able to participate in this fundamental project for Côte-Nord."

The grant was announced by Pierre Arcand, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and David Huertel, Minister for Sustainable Development, as part of he government's 2013-2020 Action Plan on climate change aiming to improve the carbon balance and energy efficiency of the businesses province's.

This is the second government-backed energy-based project announced by the Luxembourg steel and mining company in recent days, after several Czech ministers officially commissioned new technologies at the ArcelorMittal Ostrova site to reduce dust emissions by 530 tonnes a year on Wednesday.

 

Photo by ArcelorMittal