Techno economic evaluation of iron ore pellet manufacturing processes in india and justification for new units in odisha

Abstract

hydroxides like goethite and limonite. Small amounts are found as the carbonates in siderite, as sulphides in pyrites and as silicates in chamosite and greenalite. Broadly iron ores may be grouped as: direct shipping ore generally better than 60 per cent iron (Fe), which is mined and used in blast furnaces requiring only simple preparation and beneficiable ore which contain as little as 25 percent Fe and can be upgraded to around 60 percent Fe by magnetic or heavy media separation. Lump ores are naturally mined ores that are crushed and screened to a certain grain size before their use. However, as a result of preparation and enrichment processes in the iron ore mines to increase the Fe content, very fine-grained ores increasingly accumulate which have to undergo agglomeration. This is done by means of sintering and pelletizing. The physical and metallurgical characteristics of the ores are as important as chemical properties. The steel industry requires iron ore which is high in iron, low in impurities particularly SiO2, Al2O3, sulphur and phosphorous. It is a prerequisite that the lumps should have high strength. Therefore, beneficiation of iron ore after mining is an important stage to prepare ore to meet both physical and chemical properties suitable for the various metallurgical processes. The important aspect of ore preparation is to increase iron content, lowering impurities such as Al2O3, SiO2, etc. and generate lumps with closer sizes and utilization of fines and slimes, so as to improve the economics of mining operations. After assessing the potential of pelletization of iron ore in India various companies are planning to set up pelletization plants in Odisha. This paper will give an insight in that direction.