Finnish stainless steel maker Outokumpu has announced a new brand, EvoMaterials, for its proprietary low-CO2 metals processing technology. The technology uses an advanced sulfidation process to increase chromium content and the chromium-to-iron ratio in ferrochrome, with potential applications in nickel, molybdenum, and metal recovery from industrial side streams. The company's Kemi mine in Finland, the only chrome mine in the EU, gives it a strategic advantage for producing enriched ferrochrome and chromium metal. Outokumpu plans to build a pilot plant in New Hampshire, expected to be operational by the first half of 2027, with an industrial-scale facility targeted for 2030. The announcement underscores growing efforts by Western producers to secure critical mineral supply chains and develop lower-carbon metal production technologies. However, specific emissions reduction figures were not provided, so it's unclear how much this process will cut CO2 compared to conventional methods.
