Iron ore is a mineral ore that has iron oxide as one of its constituents. Mining is the application and use of this common and very important metal, which forms about 5 percent of the Earth’s crust due to its high strength and ease of processing.
The production of raw iron and steel requires the use of iron pellets (iron re pellets), which are small pellets that are made from iron ore concentrates and certain additives.
Iron pellets tend to be between 6-16 mm in size.
Iron ore plays a crucial role in producing steel as a raw material. The iron content of natural iron ore is usually low and it has a lot of impurities, such as silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus. In order to make high-quality steel, it is crucial to increase the karat of iron ore and eliminate any impurities.
Increasing iron ore’s karat and removing its impurities can be achieved by converting it into concentrate, which is one of the methods. Physical and chemical methods are used to convert crushed iron ore into fine particles, and impurities are removed through separation methods such as deposition, filtration, and centrifugation.
Iron ore concentrates can be found at a rate of 65 to 69 percent, but they are not suitable for steel production. Converting iron ore concentrate into pellets is necessary for producing high-quality steel.
Iron ore concentrate and other additives are used to make pellets, which are small balls. Additives are utilized to enhance pellets’ shape and strength, as well as their metallurgical properties.
The process of converting iron ore concentrate to pellet is known as <<gendling>>. This process includes the following steps:
Concentrate grinding: Iron ore concentrate is first converted into fine particles using rolling mills or pellet mills. The size of the crushed concentrate particles should be between 0 and 100 microns.
Adding additives: After grinding, additives such as lime, bentonite and organic and inorganic binders are added to the concentrate. These materials give pellets a shape and strength and also help improve their metallurgical properties.
Mixing: The ground concentrate and additives are mixed together to form a uniform mixture.
Pelletizing: The mixture of concentrate and additives is poured into the pelletizing machine. In the pelletizing machine, the mixture is rotated at high speed and becomes a small ball called pellet.
Baking pellets: Raw pellets are cooked in special furnaces after production. During baking, the water in the pellets evaporates and the pellets become their final shape and strength.
Baked pellets have an iron alloy of between 68 and 72 percent and have good metallurgical properties. Pellets are used as a raw material in the production of steel in high-rise furnaces and direct regeneration.
The benefits of turning iron ore into pellets are:
Iron ore concentrate iron ore is usually between 65 and 69 percent, but the iron ore is between 68 and 72 percent.
Removal of impurities: Iron ore impurities such as silicon, silicon, sulfur and phosphorus are largely removed in the pelletizing process.
Increased strength: Baked pellets have more strength than iron ore concentrate.
Ease of transportation: The pellets are easily transportable due to their suitable size and shape.
Pellets are one of the most important raw materials in the production of steel. The process of converting iron ore into pellets is a complex and important process that leads to increased iron ore grades, removal of impurities and improvement of pellet properties.
