Clariant

Clariant Mining - Sustainable exploration of iron ore

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• published: 21 Nov 2013
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In the west of Paris, 7,300 tons of steel soar 324 meters into the sky. The construction of the Eiffel tower more than 120 years ago gave the world an architectural masterpiece, and the central role of steel in modern architecture has remained unchallenged ever since. The new Clariant Innovation Center in Frankfurt-Höchst, Germany, also incorporates the vast amount of 3,740 tons. But steel is indispensable not only as a construction material; it is also needed in medical technology, automotive construction, household appliances and many other fields. It is one of the world's most versatile engineering materials, because its properties can be specifically modified by adding alloying constituents. Steel products never end up as waste, but are repeatedly recycled. Every steel component contains some recycled steel. This recycling system makes the material a regenerative construction material. Nevertheless, the proportion of steel scrap in crude steel is only about 37 percent worldwide. Consequently, iron ore, the main raw material for steel, is becoming ever more scarce. Projections indicate that reserves could even be completely exhausted within the next 60 years. The remaining ore deposits are increasingly contaminated with undesirable minerals which have to be removed before the crude ore can be processed. »With the tailor-made reagents from Clariant, the iron ore can be cleaned and processed effectively and in an energy-saving manner,« says John Dunne, Vice President of Clariant Oil and Mining Services.