Sweden’s mining company LKAB and Hitachi Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a long-term collaboration to accelerate LKAB's electrification and transition to a fossil-free future.

The partnership focuses on strengthening efficiency, sustainability, and innovation in electrical power transmission and energy management, starting with the planned sponge iron demonstration project in Gällivare. Hitachi Energy will first deliver the necessary technology and equipment for electrical power management at the site.

The joint efforts aim to enable the industrial-scale implementation of a hydrogen-based direct reduction process. The Gällivare plant will utilize Hybrit technology and is expected to produce 1.35 million tons of sponge iron annually, laying a foundation for continued innovation and reduced carbon emissions.