Greening industry

Fortescue is a mining company with a difference. A leading producer of iron ore, it is committed to decarbonization as it transitions into a global green technology, metals, and energy company.

“Iron ore is essential for building stronger, more sustainable infrastructure, but business as usual is over. Fortescue is driving the fastest decarbonization agenda in the industry,” says Sinead Booth, Fortescue Group Manager, Decarbonization Delivery.

Founded in 2003, Fortescue has proven that through innovation it can succeed in an environment as challenging as Western Australia’s Pilbara iron ore mining region. Today, Fortescue is applying that same determination to show that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

Real zero, not net zero

Mining is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, presenting a significant engineering challenge. Despite this, Fortescue has set itself a bold climate target of real zero by 2030.

Real zero by 2030 means Fortescue will eliminate all fossil fuel emissions from its terrestrial iron ore operations in Australia by the end of this decade without the use of carbon offsets. To achieve this goal, the company is investing $6.2 billion to replace its heavy industry fleet with zero-emission alternatives, as well as building the green energy solutions needed to operate them, including solar, wind, and battery storage systems.

Fortescue believes that decarbonizing is not only possible, it’s profitable, and the company wants to help other heavy emitters to do the same.

“If we can transform our operations to real zero by 2030 while inventing the technology as we go, any sector can. This is the power of now,” says Booth.