Refractories:

RHI Magnesita produces specialized refractory products made from magnesite, dolomite, and other minerals essential for industrial value chains in Europe. Refractory materials protect production facilities from extreme heat and chemical attacks and play a key role in metal recycling, thereby promoting the circular economy. 

the building blocks of modern life

RHI Magnesita produces specialized refractory products made from magnesite, dolomite, and other minerals essential for industrial value chains in Europe. Refractory materials protect production facilities from extreme heat and chemical attacks and play a key role in metal recycling, thereby promoting the circular economy. 

the building blocks of modern life

RHI Magnesita produces specialized refractory products made from magnesite, dolomite, and other minerals essential for industrial value chains in Europe. Refractory materials protect production facilities from extreme heat and chemical attacks and play a key role in metal recycling, thereby promoting the circular economy. 

the building blocks of modern life

Refractory production is a hard to abate, energy intensive process with a high CO₂ intensity. While switching to green fuels and recycling help reduce avoidable emissions, only Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) can address unavoidable process emissions. For instance, RHI Magnesita is collaborating with the Australian Green Tech Start-Up MCi Carbon to develop an innovative CCU mineralization technology that has the potential to eliminate process emissions.

Decarbonization Roadmap

Refractory production is a hard to abate, energy intensive process with a high CO₂ intensity. While switching to green fuels and recycling help reduce avoidable emissions, only Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) can address unavoidable process emissions. For instance, RHI Magnesita is collaborating with the Australian Green Tech Start-Up MCi Carbon to develop an innovative CCU mineralization technology that has the potential to eliminate process emissions.

Decarbonization Roadmap

Mineralization of CO₂ -

MCi Carbon’s process

MCi Carbon has re-engineered the Earth’s natural process of storing CO₂ called mineral carbonation, or weathering. This process of converting CO₂ into minerals usually occurs geologically over millions of years but MCi have sped up that process to a matter of minutes in an industrial setting.  

MCi technology combines captured CO₂ with a mineral feedstock to produce magnesium carbonate and amorphous silica. RHIM formulate these new products into cement, concrete, plasterboards, paper and other industrial products. Based on a market analysis, this low carbon products will be interesting for the cement industry and the industrial minerals market.  

RHI Magnesita is the main investor and the first global commercial customer of MCi Carbon. The construction of the "Myrtle" plant in Australia is intended to evaluate the scalability of the technology and enable its deployment in Austria starting in 2028.

More about the process here: CO₂ solution , MCi Materials 

Mineralization of CO_2-
MCi Carbon’s process

MCi technology combines captured CO₂ with a mineral feedstock to produce magnesium carbonate and amorphous silica. RHIM formulate these new products into cement, concrete, plasterboards, paper and other industrial products. Based on a market analysis, this low carbon products will be interesting for the cement industry and the industrial minerals market.  

RHI Magnesita is the main investor and the first global commercial customer of MCi Carbon. The construction of the "Myrtle" plant in Australia is intended to evaluate the scalability of the technology and enable its deployment in Austria starting in 2028.

More about the process here: CO₂ solution , MCi Materials 

MCi Carbon has re-engineered the Earth’s natural process of storing CO₂ called mineral carbonation, or weathering.

This process of converting CO₂ into minerals usually occurs geologically over millions of years but MCi have sped up that process to a matter of minutes in an industrial setting. 

CCU Process Output

Magnesium carbonate

Amorphous silica

Low Carbon Materials

These minerals can be used in multiple applications, including:

Building materials (cement, concrete)

Refractory Ceramics

Plaster- and cardboards

Fertilizers

Paper production

CCU Process Output

Magnesium carbonate

Amorphous silica

Low Carbon Materials

These minerals can be used in multiple applications, including:

Building materials (cement, concrete)

Refractory Ceramics

Plaster- and cardboards

Fertilizers

Paper production

CCU Process Output

Magnesium carbonate

Amorphous silica

Low Carbon Materials:

These minerals can be used in multiple applications, including:

Building materials (cement, concrete)

Refractory Ceramics

Plaster- and cardboards

Fertilizers

Paper production

At its Hochfilzen site in Tyrol, Austria RHI Magnesita plans to commercially roll out a CCU test facility by 2028. This pilot plant will extract 50,000 tons of CO₂ annually from the exhaust stream and convert it into chemically stable industrial minerals. In a further phase in the early 2030s, the entire site is expected to be decarbonized by 90%.

The raw materials are sourced from existing mining areas, while the products are primarily delivered regionally, within a radius of a few hundred kilometers. By using the silicate product as a low-carbon alternative aggregate in the cement industry, substantial CO₂ emissions can be saved per ton of concrete. In the long term, RHI Magnesita aims to supply 800,000 tons of silicate annually to the cement industry. 

Additionally, 350,000 tons of magnesite will be processed using a CO₂ circular process and used as a raw material in various industries—without additional CO₂ emissions from primary raw material. This enables RHI Magnesita to make a significant contribution to decarbonization both at the Hochfilzen site and in other industries

The raw materials are sourced from existing mining areas, while the products are primarily delivered regionally, within a radius of a few hundred kilometers. By using the silicate product as a low-carbon alternative aggregate in the cement industry, substantial CO₂ emissions can be saved per ton of concrete. In the long term, RHI Magnesita aims to supply 800,000 tons of silicate annually to the cement industry. 

Additionally, 350,000 tons of magnesite will be processed using a CO₂ circular process and used as a raw material in various industries—without additional CO₂ emissions from primary raw material. This enables RHI Magnesita to make a significant contribution to decarbonization both at the Hochfilzen site and in other industries

At its Hochfilzen site in Tyrol, Austria RHI Magnesita plans to commercially roll out a CCU test facility by 2028. This pilot plant will extract 50,000 tons of CO₂ annually from the exhaust stream and convert it into chemically stable industrial minerals. In a further phase in the early 2030s, the entire site is expected to be decarbonized by 90%.

Relevant Policies for CCU Development

Relevant Policies for CCU Development

Relevant Policies for CCU Development

Relevant Policies for CCU Development

At the beginning of 2025, the CCUpScale project received over €3.8 million in initial funding through the Australia-Austria Industrial Decarbonisation Demonstration Partnership Program. This grant supports the collaboration between RHI Magnesita, MCi Carbon (MCi), the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to advance industrial decarbonization.

The funding is provided by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund, supported by the Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), and the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW).

International Recognition and Funding

This project aims to further develop MCi Carbon’s mineral carbonation technology and support RHI Magnesita’s plans to build the world’s first Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) plant in the refractory industry in Hochfilzen, Austria.

Furthermore, the „CCUpScale“ project was honored at COP29, winning Most Outstanding Project – Austria in the Mission Innovation Net Zero Industries Awards. Co-chaired by Australia and Austria, the goal of the mission is to catalyse the development and demonstration of cost competitive solutions for the efficient decarbonisation of hard-to-abate energy intensive industries worldwide by 2030.

Furthermore, the „CCUpScale“ project was honored at COP29, winning Most Outstanding Project – Austria in the Mission Innovation Net Zero Industries Awards. Co-chaired by Australia and Austria, the goal of the mission is to catalyse the development and demonstration of cost competitive solutions for the efficient decarbonisation of hard-to-abate energy intensive industries worldwide by 2030.

This project aims to further develop MCi Carbon’s mineral carbonation technology and support RHI Magnesita’s plans to build the world’s first Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) plant in the refractory industry in Hochfilzen, Austria.

The funding is provided by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund, supported by the Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), and the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW).

At the beginning of 2025, the CCUpScale project received over €3.8 million in initial funding through the Australia-Austria Industrial Decarbonisation Demonstration Partnership Program. This grant supports the collaboration between RHI Magnesita, MCi Carbon (MCi), the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to advance industrial decarbonization.

International Recognition and Funding

The funding is provided by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund, supported by the Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), and the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW).

This project aims to further develop MCi Carbon’s mineral carbonation technology and support RHI Magnesita’s plans to build the world’s first Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) plant in the refractory industry in Hochfilzen, Austria.

Furthermore, the „CCUpScale“ project was honored at COP29, winning Most Outstanding Project – Austria in the Mission Innovation Net Zero Industries Awards. Co-chaired by Australia and Austria, the goal of the mission is to catalyse the development and demonstration of cost competitive solutions for the efficient decarbonisation of hard-to-abate energy intensive industries worldwide by 2030.

At the beginning of 2025, the CCUpScale project received over €3.8 million in initial funding through the Australia-Austria Industrial Decarbonisation Demonstration Partnership Program. This grant supports the collaboration between RHI Magnesita, MCi Carbon (MCi), the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to advance industrial decarbonization.

International Recognition and Funding

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