Title

THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF PELLETIZING FOR IRON ORE MINING AND IRON PRODUCTION

THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF PELLETIZING FOR IRON ORE MINING AND IRON PRODUCTION

Authorship

Mourão, José Murilo

Mourão, José Murilo

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DOI

10.5151/2594-357x-0044

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Abstract

In the last years, pelletizing has been playing an important role in iron ore mining and in iron production (iron making and direct reduction). Some factors have contributed to this fact as follows: the depletion of high grade iron ore reserves, the great Chinese iron ore demand, the accelerated growth of direct reduction, the better performance of pellets as burden of the reduction reactors, environmental restrictions in steelmaking, etc. In order to comply with blast furnace and direct reduction demand, existing pelletizing plants are being improved and new projects are under evaluation and or erection. Pellet production will increase so fast in coming years. At the end of 2007, the amount was near 370 Mt. In 2015, is estimated some over 500 Mt. Following the trend of other industrial activities, pelletizing is being affected by price increase of power, oil, steel and commodities. Capital and Operational costs (CAPEX and OPEX) are impacting so much the profitability of pelletizing business, in a stand alone basis analysis. This paper gives a brief evaluation of these themes related to iron ore pelletizing.

In the last years, pelletizing has been playing an important role in iron ore mining and in iron production (iron making and direct reduction). Some factors have contributed to this fact as follows: the depletion of high grade iron ore reserves, the great Chinese iron ore demand, the accelerated growth of direct reduction, the better performance of pellets as burden of the reduction reactors, environmental restrictions in steelmaking, etc. In order to comply with blast furnace and direct reduction demand, existing pelletizing plants are being improved and new projects are under evaluation and or erection. Pellet production will increase so fast in coming years. At the end of 2007, the amount was near 370 Mt. In 2015, is estimated some over 500 Mt. Following the trend of other industrial activities, pelletizing is being affected by price increase of power, oil, steel and commodities. Capital and Operational costs (CAPEX and OPEX) are impacting so much the profitability of pelletizing business, in a stand alone basis analysis. This paper gives a brief evaluation of these themes related to iron ore pelletizing.

Keywords

Pelletizing; Iron ore; Iron making; Direct reduction.

Pelletizing; Iron ore; Iron making; Direct reduction.