[TheForge] eucalyptus charcoal

[schade at acegroup.cc]

CVRD and NUCOR Announce Pig Iron Project  

Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) and Nucor Corporation (NUCOR) 
announced that they have signed an agreement to construct and operate 
an environmentally friendly pig iron project in Northern Brazil. The 
project will utilize two conventional mini-blast furnaces to produce 
about 380,000 metric tons of pig iron per year in its initial phase, 
using CVRD iron ore from its Carajás mines in Northern Brazil. The 
charcoal source will be exclusively from eucalyptus trees grown in a 
cultivated forest of 82,000 acres with the total project encompassing 
approximately 200,000 acres. CVRD and NUCOR will form a joint venture 
company to operate the facility. It is anticipated that NUCOR will 
purchase all of the production of the plant.

"The use of a cultivated forest to produce charcoal allows for an 
environmentally friendly approach to pig iron production since the 
forest will consume more carbon dioxide than will be emitted by the 
mini-blast furnaces." stated Dan DiMicco, NUCOR Vice Chairman, 
President and CEO. "We look forward to a long relationship with CVRD 
and hope this is only the first of many projects together."

"This agreement is the first step in our partnership with NUCOR since 
we announced our intentions to cooperate one year ago, and we are very 
happy with it." Roger Agnelli, CVRD CEO commented. "This undertaking is 
intended to leverage iron ore sales and to indirectly increase CVRD’s 
penetration in the North American market, which is in line with the 
strategy of generating value for shareholders by focusing on mining. It 
is a victory for both companies, Brazil and the environment."