RHI Magnesita, a manufacturer of refractory materials used in high-temperature industrial processes, signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with Australia’s MCi Carbon (MCi). The investment of several million dollars is for research and development of technologies abating carbon emissions. MCi’s carbon utilization technology (CCU) presents a safe and profitable means of storing CO₂ permanently. The chemical process, called mineral carbonation, creates a range of low-carbon embodied materials (including calcium and magnesium carbonate) by carbonating minerals in byproducts of industrial processes.

“This partnership could become a breakthrough toward decarbonizing the industry,” said RHI Magnesita CEO Stefan Borgas.

Austria-based RHI Magnesita is convinced of the potential of mineralization to achieve a significant CO₂ reduction within its Scope 1 emissions. To date, both companies have worked together on CO₂ mitigation studies, mineral carbonization feedstock assessments and techno-economic analyses at RHI Magnesita’s worldwide sites. The companies’ joint efforts will focus on industrial scale-up, which is expected to kick off in 2024 with the setup of a demonstration plant by MCi in Newcastle, Australia.

“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,” said MCi CEO Marcus Dawe.