CONCEPT
The challenge
Steelmaking in Transition
Europe’s steel industry is moving towards lower-carbon electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking while facing the equally important challenge of remaining competitive. This transition means increasing the use of steel scrap and lower-carbon iron sources such as direct reduced iron (DRI) and hot briquetted iron (HBI).
At the same time, supplies of high-quality scrap and ores are limited. As EAF production expands, steelmakers will increasingly need to work with more diverse and variable-quality feedstocks that may contain higher levels of impurities.
Conventional and transitional routes
High reliance on iron ore and conventional BF-BOF (Blast Furnace – Basic Oxygen Furnace) steelmaking
Increasing role of EAF steelmaking
Growing demand for diverse feedstocks with variable quality
Changing Slag Availability and Valorisation Needs
Declining availability of blast-furnace slag and limited suitability of EAF slag for cement applications.
The project focus
Three Challenges, One Integrated Approach
DiversEAFy addresses three interconnected challenges through three complementary solutions:
Diversifying
EAF Feedstocks
Challenge
Growing EAF production will increase demand for suitable feedstocks, while limited supplies of high-quality scrap and ores mean that lower-quality and more diverse materials will need to be used.
DiversEAFy Solution
DiversEAFy aims to expand the range of usable feedstocks through sensor-based scrap characterisation and sorting, improved approaches for designing scrap, DRI and HBI mixes, and optimisation of feedstock preparation to accommodate varying material qualities.
Low-quality scrap
Iron Ore & DRI/HBI
Alternative feedstock
Advanced modelling & pre-processingGoal
Greater feedstock flexibility while maintaining steel quality and process stability.
EAF
Process Steering
Challenge
More diverse feedstocks increase variability during steel production, making it harder to maintain stable EAF operation and consistent steel quality.
DiversEAFy Solution
DiversEAFy develops data-driven tools for EAF process steering by combining thermochemical modelling, rapid at-line slag analysis and human-in-the-loop process control. These technologies help operators respond to changing feedstock compositions and process conditions.
Slag analysis
Thermochemical modelling
Process controlGoal
Resilient EAF process steering for consistent, high-quality steel production.
EAF Slag
Valorisation
Challenge
The transition towards EAF steelmaking changes the availability of steelmaking by-products. As blast furnace slag supplies decline, new applications for increasing volumes of EAF slag are needed.
DiversEAFy Solution
DiversEAFy explores how EAF slag can become a valuable resource for low-carbon cement applications. Through high-temperature modification and CO₂ processing, the project aims to improve its properties while addressing impurity behaviour and environmental quality, strengthening circular links between the steel and cement sectors.
EAF Slag
High-temperature modification & CO₂ processing
Low-carbon cementGoal
Higher-value EAF slag applications in low-carbon cement production, strengthening circularity between the steel and cement sectors.
Integrated system-level assessment
Industrial circularity
Connecting
Steel and Cement
DiversEAFy looks beyond steel production itself by creating a circular connection between the steel and cement sectors. As the transition away from BF–BOF steelmaking reduces the availability of blast-furnace slag, an important cement-replacement material, the volume of EAF slag is expected to increase. DiversEAFy explores how these EAF slags can be processed and valorised through high-temperature modification and CO₂ processing to substitute some of the functions currently provided by blast-furnace slags.
By developing routes for its use in low-carbon cement materials, DiversEAFy aims to keep valuable resources within the industrial value chain while contributing to a lower environmental footprint across both sectors.
EAF steel productionEAF slagHigh-temperature modification and CO₂ processingLow-carbon cement materials
Lower environmental footprint
Higher-value applicationsFrom concept to practice
From Research to Industrial Application
DiversEAFy combines technological development with industrial validation and a system-level assessment. Industrial trials will connect laboratory insights with real-world steelmaking operations and help evaluate how the proposed approaches perform under practical conditions.
The project will combine European scrap scenarios with life-cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, and business case development to assess environmental and economic impacts, guide scale-up, and de-risk investment. Skills co-creation with operators and interoperable digital tools will further support long-term adoption.
Development
Validation
Assessment
with Operators
Long-term Adoption