Fortescue's Green Metal Project Using Metso Technology Produces First Hot Metal in Australia

Fortescue Metals Group's Christmas Creek Green Metal Project, employing Metso's direct reduced iron (DRI) smelting furnace technology, has achieved its first hot metal production in the Pilbara, Western Australia. This development marks a significant milestone for both companies in their effort to establish a pathway for producing low-emission green metal from local iron ore. Metso provided the core smelting design and technology for the project, specifically its electric DRI Smelting Furnace. The technology is being evaluated for its potential to enable the use of Pilbara iron ore fines in lower-emission ironmaking processes. Metso's equipment installation for the project commenced in September 2025. The project aims to add value by processing Australia's exported iron ore into green metal domestically. "This is a significant milestone for our Green Metal Project and another step towards producing commercial-scale green metal in Australia," stated Dino Otranto, Chief Executive Officer of Fortescue Metals. Metso expressed pride in supporting Fortescue's pioneering work, noting the project's contribution to advancing lower-emission ironmaking. Metso's DRI Smelting Furnace technology offers a route to produce high-quality iron units for downstream steelmaking with reduced emissions compared to conventional blast furnace methods. The technology is designed to unlock the utilization of iron ore reserves with higher gangue content, previously considered unsuitable for DRI steelmaking routes. The successful production of first hot metal demonstrates the technology's role in this emerging field. This advancement is crucial for the industry as it seeks to reduce its environmental footprint and meet growing market demand for sustainable materials. The learnings from this pilot project are expected to be vital for Fortescue as it moves towards developing large-scale green iron production.