Fortescue achieves first green hot metal production in Australia

Fortescue’s Christmas Creek Green Metal Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia has successfully produced its first hot metal. The project utilizes Metso’s electric Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) Smelting Furnace technology to advance low-emission ironmaking.

The technology is specifically being tested for its ability to process Pilbara iron ore fines, which were previously considered unsuitable for traditional DRI production routes. This development aims to create a pathway for commercial-scale green metal production within Australia, allowing the country to add more value to its iron ore exports by processing it domestically rather than solely exporting raw materials.

Fortescue Metals CEO Dino Otranto stated that the milestone represents a step toward producing green metal at scale in Australia. Metso provided the core smelting design and technology for the project, which began equipment installation in September 2025.