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Innovations Needed for U.S. Iron Ore Processing

Staff Report / FLXlocal.org

**Faculty Expert Highlights Potential for New Innovations in U.S. Iron Ore Processing**

Recent insights from Greeshma Gadikota, professor and director of the Sustainable Energy and Resource Recovery Group in the College of Engineering at Cornell University, highlight the current challenges and opportunities in the U.S. iron ore industry. The majority of high-grade iron ore in the U.S. has been depleted, leaving domestic suppliers to mainly rely on low-grade ore. However, current processing facilities are designed to handle high-grade ore, posing a significant hurdle for domestic production.

Gadikota suggests that innovations in pre-concentrating low-grade iron ore could play a pivotal role in adapting to these challenges. Such advancements would complement the push toward domestic manufacturing, reducing dependency on imported finished steel. This shift could not only unlock the potential of the vast low-grade ore reserves in the U.S. but also address environmental concerns by eliminating life cycle emissions associated with transporting ores across oceans.

From a sustainability perspective, Gadikota notes that the emissions resulting from added processing steps to concentrate low-grade ore would need to be offset by eliminating the emissions from overseas transportation. This balance is a key factor in determining the environmental viability of such innovations.

Additionally, Gadikota highlights the potential for policies, such as tariffs on imported steel, to drive the adoption of domestic solutions, spurring both economic and environmental benefits. The focus on utilizing local resources could encourage further advancements in technology for processing low-grade raw materials, fostering sustainable practices in the steel industry.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Feb 19, 2025 at 3:29 PM

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