Title

THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF HIGH-GRADE IRON ORE CONCENTRATE TO STEELMAKING

THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF HIGH-GRADE IRON ORE CONCENTRATE TO STEELMAKING

Authorship

MOURAO, JOSE MURILO

MOURAO, JOSE MURILO

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-357X-41965

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Abstract

High grade iron ore pellets are becoming scarce due to the depletion of rich reserves and deposits of iron oxides, mainly hematite and magnetite. Thus, lower grade ores are being treated and concentrated at increasing costs of beneficiation, aiming the production of Direct Reduction Pellets (DRP). On the other hand, the environmental restrictions on CO2 emissions are pushing the development of green iron and steelmaking which is reinforcing the route Direct Reduction (DR) – Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) as one of the most viable solutions to produce greener steel. As is well known, DR requires the use of high-grade pellets (DRP) for efficient operation with lower costs. The product of DR, the direct reduced iron (DRI), is a clean feed of EAF for production of steel. From the industrial experience, it is observed that: the higher the iron content of pellets the better the performance of the DR and EAF. In other words, increasing costs in iron ore beneficiation decreases costs in iron and steelmaking. Considering that beneficiation, ironmaking and steelmaking are operations for iron (Fe) concentration, it is presented in this paper a discussion on the iron concentration borderline between the ore beneficiation and iron-steelmaking.

HIGH GRADE IRON ORE PELLETS ARE BECOMING SCARCE DUE TO THE DEPLETION OF RICH RESERVES AND DEPOSITS OF IRON OXIDES, MAINLY HEMATITE AND MAGNETITE. THUS, LOWER GRADE ORES ARE BEING TREATED AND CONCENTRATED AT INCREASING COSTS OF BENEFICIATION, AIMING THE PRODUCTION OF DIRECT REDUCTION PELLETS (DRP). ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS ON CO2 EMISSIONS ARE PUSHING THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN IRON AND STEELMAKING WHICH IS REINFORCING THE ROUTE DIRECT REDUCTION (DR) – ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE (EAF) AS ONE OF THE MOST VIABLE SOLUTIONS TO PRODUCE GREENER STEEL. AS IS WELL KNOWN, DR REQUIRES THE USE OF HIGH-GRADE PELLETS (DRP) FOR EFFICIENT OPERATION WITH LOWER COSTS. THE PRODUCT OF DR, THE DIRECT REDUCED IRON (DRI), IS A CLEAN FEED OF EAF FOR PRODUCTION OF STEEL. FROM THE INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE, IT IS OBSERVED THAT: THE HIGHER THE IRON CONTENT OF PELLETS THE BETTER THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DR AND EAF. IN OTHER WORDS, INCREASING COSTS IN IRON ORE BENEFICIATION DECREASES COSTS IN IRON AND STEELMAKING. CONSIDERING THAT BENEFICIATION, IRONMAKING AND STEELMAKING ARE OPERATIONS FOR IRON (FE) CONCENTRATION, IT IS PRESENTED IN THIS PAPER A DISCUSSION ON THE IRON CONCENTRATION BORDERLINE BETWEEN THE ORE BENEFICIATION AND IRON-STEELMAKING.

Keywords

Iron ore, Beneficiation, Agglomeration, Direct Reduction, Green Steel

Iron ore, Beneficiation, Agglomeration, Direct Reduction, Green Steel