A proposal of an alternative route for the reduction of iron ore in the eastern Amazonia

Brazil has decreased the utilization of wood under the form of either charcoal or fuel wood to about 10% of its energy consumption (year 2000). The same is not true for the Brazilian Amazonia where there is a growing demand of charcoal for the production of pig iron in the Greater Carajas Program. The objective of the present study is to verify the feasibility of using electrolytic hydrogen instead of charcoal for the direct reduction of iron ore in that region. Techno, economic and environmental aspects are considered. This study can be beneficial to Brazil in general and Amazonia in particular since natural resources might be preserved and pollution avoided. (C) 2003 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.