Rio Tinto backs Queensland biochar facility plans

Rio Tinto has signed a five-year offtake agreement with SuperChar to trial locally produced bana grass bio pellets as a partial replacement for coal in its Gladstone alumina refineries, marking a concrete step in decarbonising energy-intensive refining. The initial deal covers 35,000 tonnes of bio pellets in 2028, with feasibility work showing coal could be reduced by up to 30 percent in boiler operations and potential expansion to blends of up to 50 percent as trials progress. The plan centers on a new biochar production facility in central Queensland, using pyrolysis to create bio pellets and briquettes from bana grass, with regulatory approvals and operational readiness still to be secured. Rio Tinto’s engagement follows broader industry efforts to address the Bayer process’s relentless heat demand, which has made electrification challenging for alumina refining. Beyond emissions reductions, the venture envisions additional uses for bana grass byproducts, including animal feed pellets, expanding the economic case for local biochar production. The initiative represents one of several solutions being explored by Rio Tinto to reduce fossil fuel dependence across its Queensland refinery network.