Optimum Strategies for Enrichment of Low Grade Iron Ore by Beneficiation in Context of Developing Countries
(Room 404)
07 May 19
4:00 PM
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4:30 PM
Nature is blessed with large recourses of iron ore in India with a mix of high and low grade ore
quality. India ranks 5th in the world in iron ore resource inventory. According to National Steel Policy
of India the projected growth for national steel production has been aimed at 300 MTPA by 2030-31.
In order to achieve the targeted steel production, iron ore requirement will be of the order of 437 Mt
by 2030-31. The present available hematite resource in the country is 22.487 billion tonne. Another
10 billion tonne of magnetite variety of resource is locked in western- ghat eco-fragile region and
is subjected to embargo by Indian Supreme Court. Thus evolving strategies for effective utilization
of low and sub grade iron ores by introduction of optimum beneficiation techniques were researched
at greater length although till recently it was only washing of ore which had been practiced mainly.
Each source of iron ore has its own specific mineralogical characteristics requiring specific
beneficiation and metallurgical treatment to get the optimized product. The choice of beneficiation
treatment depends on the nature of the gangue present and its association with the ore matrix.
While beneficiating the low grade ore, the finer liberation size throws challenges for recovery of
ultrafines and results in more iron ore concentrate which can be used in iron making as pellets.
The Indian Steel/Mining Industry has to sort out various issues related to low grade beneficiation and
a host of them are actively engaged in finding out ways to beneficiate/utilise low and sub grade iron
ore fines/slimes viz. SAIL in Dalli Mines, Barsua, Tata Steel, Essar Steel, JSW Steel, NMDC etc.
In India, the large scale iron ore beneficiation plants specially designed for slimes and low grade fines
typically use grinding mill, jig, fluidised bed separator, spiral concentrator, low intensity magnetic
separator, medium intensity magnetic separator, high gradient magnetic separator, filters and
thickener as main processing units.
This paper briefly outlines the method of enrichment of low grade iron ore to make suitable for
sinter and pellet products in optimum techno economic and echo friendly manner.