Decarbonization partnership announced by RHI Magnesita and MCi Carbon

The project suggests the former is serious about its ambition to become a sustainability frontrunner within the refractory industry

A leading global supplier of high-grade refractory products and solutions, RHI Magnesita, has entered a massive, multi-million-dollar investment partnership and cooperation agreement with MCi Carbon (MCi), bringing on board the Australian cleantech pioneer’s latest Carbon Utilization Technology (CCU).

CCU relies on a process called mineral carbonation, and works by creating an array of low-carbon embodied materials (such as calcium and magnesium carbonate) to offset emissions. For this work, MCi was conferred the award of No. 1 Global Cleantech Pitch at COP26.

“After a year of successful pilot studies, RHI Magnesita will be MCi’s first commercial customer and a shareholder, helping advance the technology and decarbonize the global refractories industry,” commented MCi Carbon Co-Founder and CEO, Marcus Dawe. “This is a positive step towards hard-to-abate emission reductions and a circular economy.”

The move reflects RHI Magnesita’s highly publicized ambition of becoming a CO₂-neutral business. A significant share of the company’s emissions are created during mineral processing. So, to negate that, RHI Magnesita is looking at the efficacy of new innovations and technologies.

“This partnership could become a breakthrough towards decarbonizing the industry,” said RHI Magnesita CEO, Stefan Borgas. “It fits seamlessly with RHI Magnesita’s ambitious sustainability strategy.

“We still have a long way to go but our early-stage investment and the clear intention of a long-term collaboration make this day so memorable. Together with the like-minded team from MCi we will pave the way for a greener industry.”