# Fortescue green technology and mineral processing milestones

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/fortescue-green-technology-and-mineral-processing-milestones
> Updated: 2026-10-18T23:44:20.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

Fortescue has achieved several technological milestones in low-emission and specialized mineral processing in Australia.

In late September 2026, the company’s Christmas Creek Green Metal Project in the Pilbara region produced its first hot metal. Using Metso’s electric Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) Smelting Furnace technology, the project is testing the ability to process Pilbara iron ore fines for low-emission ironmaking. CEO Dino Otranto noted the milestone is a step toward producing green metal at scale domestically.

By mid-October 2026, Fortescue completed its first commercial sale of copper concentrate using its proprietary Toowong Process. This hydrometallurgical method reduces arsenic levels from up to 7 per cent to less than 0.25 per cent while maintaining a copper retention rate of over 99.9 per cent. The technology aims to make high-arsenic copper deposits commercially viable for the green energy transition.

## Claims

- Fortescue sold over 40 tonnes of copper concentrate treated with its proprietary arsenic-removal technology. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The Toowong Process uses a low-temperature, low-pressure hydrometallurgical method to separate arsenic from copper. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The process reduced arsenic levels from up to 7 per cent in feedstock to less than 0.25 per cent in the concentrate. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Fortescue acquired the Toowong technology in 2022 from Glencore. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The new method is intended to be a lower-energy alternative to conventional arsenic removal through roasting. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The technology retains more than 99.9 per cent of the copper during the separation process. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-18: Fortescue completes first commercial sale of arsenic-free copper concentrate

Fortescue has achieved a commercial milestone by selling 40 tonnes of copper concentrate treated with its new Toowong Process, which removes arsenic using a low-energy hydrometallurgical method.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fortescue-completes-first-commercial-sale-of-arsenic-free-copper-concentrate

### 2026-09-29: Fortescue achieves first green hot metal production in Australia

Fortescue and Metso have achieved a milestone in Western Australia with the first hot metal production at the Christmas Creek Green Metal Project using low-emission DRI Smelting Furnace technology.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fortescue-achieves-first-green-hot-metal-production-in-australia

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Cite as: Fortescue green technology and mineral processing milestones. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/fortescue-green-technology-and-mineral-processing-milestones