Page 167 - CW E-Magazine (16-7-2024)

News from Abroad

UPCYCLING INITIATIVE
IperionX and Aperam join hands to advance a circular

titanium supply chain

American titanium metal and criti- Aperam – spun-off from Arcelor- domestic titanium production and manu-
cal materials company, IperionX and Mittal in 2011 – is a global leader in stain- facture lower cost and more sustainable
Luxembourg-based Aperam Recycling, less, electrical and speciality steel and high-performance titanium products.
through its US entity ELG Utica Alloys recycling. ELG, part of Aperam Recycling,
(ELG), have signed an agreement for is a specialist in sourcing and processing Mr. Carsten Becker, ELG Utica
an innovative titanium processing and titanium, stainless steel and super alloys, Alloys CEO said, “This agreement with
product manufacturing programme. processing over 1-mtpa of metal. IperionX will ensure that more titanium
is recycled and stays in a closed loop
Under this partnership, IperionX Titanium is currently sourced over to reduce carbon emissions, advancing
will use its patented titanium techno- long distances from high-cost supply Aperam’s sustainability goals.” Mr. Anas-
logies to upcycle up to 12-tonnes of chains with traceability issues. Tita- tasios Arima, IperionX CEO added,
titanium scrap produced from the con- nium manufacturing generates high “This important partnership with ELG
sumer electronics sector to manufac- volumes of titanium scrap metal, such will advance a more sustainable, fully
ture a range of high-performance tita- as cuttings and turnings, that is often circular and traceable US titanium sup-
nium products. IperionX will initially downcycled to the ferro-titanium market. ply chain. Our new Titanium Manufac-
upcycle 1-tonne of titanium scrap into According to IperionX its ‘end-to- turing Campus in Virginia provides us
high-grade titanium powder and then end’ titanium supply chain solution with the full capability to process tita-
manufacture a range of titanium near- can unlock new sources of titanium nium scrap feedstocks and manufacture
net shapes for specific parts, as well as feedstocks, including scrap titanium high-performance titanium products for
plate, rod and wire products. and US titanium minerals, to re-shore advanced industries.”
CHANGED MARKET CONDITIONS
Shell to pause construction of huge biodiesel plant

in Rotterdam

Shell has paused the construction of “We are taking the tough decision signalled a scaling back of its green
one of Europe’s largest biofuel plants now to temporarily pause on-site con- growth ambitions by reducing the
which was expected to convert waste struction,” a Shell spokesperson said. number of staff working on low-car-
into green jet fuel and biodiesel by the “This gives us the opportunity to take bon solutions by at least 200 roles,
end of the decade. The oil company said stock, complete engineering, optimise while a further 130 positions will be
it would “temporarily pause” work on project sequencing and in doing so placed under review. The decision is
one of its biggest energy transition pro- maintain capital discipline.” The deci- expected to affect Shell’s plans for off-
jects to address the technical difficulties sion to pause the work deals another shore wind development and sharply
that have delayed its progress so far. blow to Shell’s biofuels plans after the scale back its ambitions to fuel hydro-
company cancelled an SAF project at gen passenger vehicles. Shell was an
Shell began constructing the plant, Singapore’s Bukom Island in March early adopter of hydrogen, which has
based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, last year. Shell was considering fallen out of favour as electric vehicles
in 2021, and had initially expected to investment in a plant that could produce become more popular. Instead, Shell’s
start producing up to 820-ktpa of bio- 550-ktpa of SAF to supply major Asian chief executive, Mr. Wael Sawan, is
fuels in April, before this was pushed hubs such as Hong Kong International planning to shift its focus towards
back to 2025.About half of the plant’s airport and Singapore’s Changi. high-profit oil projects and expand-
biofuels were to be used for sustainable ing its gas business to exploit higher
aviation fuel (SAF) made from waste The blow to Shell’s green avia- global oil and gas prices after Russia’s
cooking oil and animal fat. tion plans has come after the company invasion of Ukraine.

Chemical Weekly July 16, 2024 167

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised