Why Belledune?

Belledune has features that make it a suitable location for Maritime Iron’s Pig Iron project.

1.  Available Land

There is a significant amount of land available nearby the Port of Belledune. The project is considering to be sited adjacent to the Belledune Power Generating Station. This site is less than a kilometer from tidewater, simplifying the raw material and finished product logistics chain.

2.  Electricity Generation

Maritime Iron is seeking to integrate with the NB Power’s Belledune Generating Station. Integration would allow for the recycling of the process gases produced by the project, eliminating the need to build a competing or redundant power plant. The environmental advantages of this arrangement are as follows:

• Combusting the process gas is expected to displace the coal consumption of the Generating Station by approximately 60%, significantly reducing GHG emissions compared to what would have been generated from the power plant and from Maritime Iron’s facility operating independently;

• Using the existing power station maximizes sharing of utilities and services: raw material handling and storage, fresh/cooling/demineralized water supply, storm water treatment etc. These deep operational synergies can lead to a novel public-private partnership and enhanced productivity for both NB Power and Maritime Iron;

• A third and important benefit is that this integration would allow the Belledune Generating Station to operate beyond 2030, maintaining the existing jobs at the plant.

3. Port of Belledune

The Port of Belledune is an exceptional, underutilized asset. It is located less than a one-day sail from Canada’s primary iron ore export terminals in Quebec and provides access to customers all along the eastern seaboard of North America, the Great Lakes, and Europe.

The Port has the necessary available capacity to handle a project of this scope – Maritime Iron could add approximately four to five million metric tonnes per year to the port’s shipping volume. Its terminals can handle 90,000 dwt shipping carriers and operates year-round.

All of the necessary infrastructure for the project is in already in place – with over $1.0 billion already invested to date.

4.  First Nations

 We are aware that our project will have some impact, and we are committed to engage with all groups who will be impacted by the Iron Plant, specifically, the regional First Nations communities.

The First Nations are an important part of the development of this Project and we will work to ensure their values, traditions and concerns for the land and environment are respected. We will also seek to involve First Nations businesses, services, and contractors in the development and operation of the project where feasible.

5. Environmental Benefits

Belledune’s location can result in CO2 reductions from shipping when compared to current pig iron production locations.

Shipping iron ore fines from Sept-Îles, Québec to Belledune for processing results in 98% fewer CO2 emissions, when compared to shipments to China.

Shipping pig iron to the US from Belledune results in at least 63% fewer CO2 emissions, when compared to current shipments from Ukraine and Russia.

6. Integration with NB Power Belledune Thermal Generating Station

Federal regulations require elimination of coal-fired electricity generation by December 31, 2029.

The FINEX process generates a by-product gas that contains a lot of residual energy. Rather than emit it directly to the atmosphere, this by-product gas can be recycled for use by the Belledune Generating Station. This would allow NB Power to reduce its coal use in half and result in cleaner electricity production. It would also allow the generating station to meet federal regulatory emission levels and remain operational after 2029.

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