The Vale and CSU Donation Agreement Signing Ceremony was held in Conference Room 3 of the Science and Education Building on February 24. Guests of the ceremony included Xie Xue, President of Vale China, Dauter Oliveira, Managing Director of Iron Ore Business Asia Pacific, Song Qingshi, Technical Director of Vale China, Chai Shiqin, Second-level Inspector of the Department of Education of Hunan Province, Yi Hong, Secretary of CPC Committee of Central South University, Guo Xueyi and Chai Liyuan, Vice Presidents of CSU, and leaders of the Scientific Research Institute, the Office of Education Development and Alumni Affairs, CSU Education Foundation and the School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering.
At the ceremony, Chai Liyuan and Xie Xue signed a donation agreement and exchanged donation checks, certificates and medals. According to the agreement, Vale will donate $5.81 million to CSU Education Foundation to support the establishment of a new low-carbon and hydrogen metallurgy laboratory of Central South University (the "New Laboratory").
Dauter said that Vale recognizes the urgency of climate change and has made a number of strategic goals to help address the issue, including the goals to reduce absolute emissions of Scope 1 (direct greenhouse gas emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity) by 33% by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and reduce net emissions of Scope 3 (indirect emissions from activities upstream and downstream of the value chain) by 15% by 2035. This donation is in line with its "Scope 3" emission reduction goal. He said that Vale hopes that the new laboratory can strongly promote research in the field of low carbon and hydrogen metallurgy, serve as an important hub and talent base in its research field, and help accelerate the decarbonization and green transformation of the steel industry.
Chai Shiqin said that the construction of the international joint laboratory is an important step to promote and deepen the international scientific and technological cooperation of universities. He said he hopes that the agreement will promote long-term cooperation between Central South University and Vale. He called on both sides to strengthen talent exchanges and international cooperation between China and Brazil based on the status quo of Hunan's educational development while co-constructing the New Laboratory, and better promote economic and social development.
On behalf of Central South University, Yi Hong expressed his heartfelt thanks to Vale. CSU will accelerate the construction of the New Laboratory so that it can be put into use as soon as possible. CSU will maintain close and friendly long-term cooperative relations with Vale, further integrate the superior resources of both sides, and work together to continuously contribute to the construction of a national innovation system and the development of a low-carbon economy.
With a total construction area of about 3,000 square meters, the New Laboratory will specialize in the research on low-carbon and hydrogen metallurgy, including research on low-carbon sintering and pelletizing, high-efficiency ironmaking and hydrogen utilization. The laboratory is expected to start operation in the later part of 2023 and be open to all scientific researchers in the mining and steel industries.
Vale is one of the world's largest producers of iron ore and nickel. The company also produces iron ore pellets, copper, platinum-group metals, gold, silver and cobalt. Vale is a long-term partner of China. The cooperative relationship dates back to 1973 when Vale exported the first shipment of iron ore to China. CSU Professor Zhu Deqing's team and Vale have cooperated for more than ten years to provide effective solutions to alleviate the shortage of low-carbon ironmaking raw materials in China.
Source: News Center Authors: Deng Haodi, Luo Yanyu
First review: Deng Haodi; Second review: Han Yan; Final review: Wang JianXiang
Link: https://news.csu.edu.cn/info/1006/155117.htm
