ArcelorMittal’s Global Research and Development unit in Spain is developing a new system for improving the quality and value of ferrous scrap through mechanical friction processing, the company tells Kallanish.
The financing of the so-called FRICHATEAF project is part of Spain’s strategic l recovery and resilience plan (Perte), and responds to the current operational and environmental challenges of the steel industry, especially in the context of ArcelorMittal’s decarbonisation plans, the firm notes.
The project aims to transform low-quality scrap metal, whose current use is limited, into raw material suitable for the production of high-added-value steel. “FRICHATEAF will enable the on-site treatment of fragmented ferrous materials, aligning scrap recovery with electric arc furnace steel production processes and reducing dependence on iron ore,” ArcelorMittal says.
The new technology will significantly improve scrap quality, optimising the efficiency of smelting processes and reducing energy consumption, waste generation and CO₂ emissions.
The project also includes the separation and recovery of metals such as copper, aluminium, chromium and organic materials for reuse in other industrial processes.
