Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microwave-Assisted Carbothermal Reduction of Banded Hematite Jasper Ore

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigates the microwave carbothermal reduction of low-grade banded hematite jasper iron ore (Fe ~ 37%). The susceptibility of iron phases to microwave exposure and their selective absorptions help in the liberation of iron values from impurities. It was found that a small fraction of the microwave-irradiated ore-charcoal mixture was rapidly melted to produce pure ferrite balls with Fe ~ 90%. The ferrite balls were observed within 6-10 min of reduction at 8% and above charcoal at microwave power of 900 W. The iron grade deteriorated over prolonged exposure because of the formation of the fayalite phase. The optical micrograph of the ferrite ball reveals retained austenite and martensitic iron phases with an average hardness value ~ 302 HV and a saturation magnetization of ~ 190.4 emu/g.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. IBM, Indian Minerals Yearbook (2017) Part-III: mineral reviews, 56th edn. Iron Ore

  2. Rath SS, Sahoo H, Das SK, Das B, Mishra BK (2014) Influence of band thickness of banded hematite quartzite (BHQ) ore in flotation. Int J Miner Process 130:48–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Rath SS, Rao D, Dhawan N, Das B, Mishra BK (2014) Optimal recovery of iron values from a low-grade iron ore using reduction roasting and magnetic separation. Sep Sci Technol 49:1927–1936

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sahoo H, Kar B, Rath SS, Rao DS, Das B (2014) Processing of banded magnetite quartzite (BMQ) ore using flotation techniques. Powder Technol 256:285–292

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rath SS, Dhawan N, Rao DS, Das B, Mishra BK (2016) Beneficiation studies of a difficult to treat iron ore using conventional and microwave roasting. Powder Technol 301:1016–1024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ponomar VP, Dudchenko NO, Brik AB (2017) Reduction roasting of hematite to magnetite using carbohydrates. Int J Miner Process 164:21–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Das SK, Prasad R, Singh RP (2018) Characterization-assisted reduction roasting of BHJ, West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, India. Trans IIM 17:1357–1362

    Google Scholar 

  8. Das B, Mishra BK, Prakash S, Das SK, Reddy PSR, Angadi SI (2010) Magnetic and flotation studies of banded hematite quartzite (BHQ) ore for the production of pellet grade concentrate. Int J Miner Metall Mater 17:675–682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sahoo H, Rath SS, Rao DS, Mishra BK, Das B (2016) Role of silica and alumina content in the flotation of iron ores. Int J Miner Process 148:83–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Iwasaki I, Prasad MS (1989) Processing techniques for difficult-to-treat ores by combining chemical metallurgy and mineral processing. Miner Process Extr Metall Rev 4:241–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Li Y, Sun T, Kou J, Guo Q, Xu C (2014) Microwave carbothermic reduction of oolitic hematite. Miner Process Extr Metall Rev 35:66–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Faris N, Tardio J, Ram R, Bhargava S, Pownceby I (2017) Investigation into coal-based magnetizing roasting of an iron-rich rare earth ore and the associated mineralogical transformations. Miner Eng 114:37–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ray N, Nayak D, Dash N, Rath SS (2018) Utilization of low-grade banded hematite jasper ores: recovery of iron values and production of ferrosilicon. Clean Technol Environ Policy 20:1767–1777

    Google Scholar 

  14. Samouhos M, Taxiarchou M, Tsakiridis PE, Potiriadis K (2013) Greek “red mud” residue: a study of microwave reductive roasting followed by magnetic separation for a metallic iron recovery process. J Hazard Mater 254:193–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Joyce J, Björklund A (2019) Using Life cycle thinking to assess the sustainability benefits of complex valorization pathways for bauxite residue. J Sustain Metall 5(1):69–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Rayapudi V, Agrawal S, Dhawan N (2019) Optimization of microwave carbothermal reduction for processing of banded hematite jasper ore. Miner Eng 132:202–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Standish N, Huang W (1991) Microwave application in carbothermic reduction of iron ores. ISIJ Int 31:241–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Walkiewicz JW, Clark AE, McGill SL (1991) Microwave-assisted grinding. IEEE Trans Ind Appl 27:239–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tavares LM, King RP (1999) Evaluation of thermally-assisted fracture of particles using micro scale fracture measurements. KONA Powder Part J 17:163–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kingman SW, Roason NA (2000) The effect of microwave radiation on the magnetic properties of minerals. J Microw Power Electromagn Energy 35:144–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Ishizaki K, Nagata K (2008) Microwave induced solid–solid reactions between Fe3O4 and carbon black powders. ISIJ Int 48:1159–1164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pickles CA (2009) Microwaves in extractive metallurgy: part 2—a review of applications. Miner Eng 22:1112–1118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Barani K, Koleini SJ, Rezaei B (2011) Magnetic properties of an iron ore sample after microwave heating. Sep Purif Technol 76:331–336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Omran M, Fabritius T, Elmahdy AM, Abdel-Khalek NA, El-Aref M, Elmanawi AEH (2014) Effect of microwave pre-treatment on the magnetic properties of iron ore and its implications on magnetic separation. Sep Purif Technol 136:223–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Hartlieb P, Toifl M, Kuchar F, Meisels R, Antretter R (2016) Thermo-physical properties of selected hard rocks and their relation to microwave-assisted comminution. Miner Eng 91:34–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hayashi M, Takeda K, Kashimura K, Watanabe T, Nagata K (2013) Carbothermic reduction of hematite powders by microwave heating. ISIJ Int 53:1125–1130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Yu J, Han Y, Li Y, Gao P (2017) Beneficiation of an iron ore fine by magnetization roasting and magnetic separation. Int J Miner Process 168:102–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Han H, Duan D, Yuan P, Chen S (2015) Recovery of metallic iron from high phosphorus oolitic hematite by carbothermic reduction and magnetic separation. Ironmak Steelmak 42:542–547

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hu M, Wei R, Hu M, Wen L, Ying F (2018) Non-isothermal carbothermal reduction kinetics of titanium-bearing blast furnace slag. JOM 70:1443–1448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Mishra S, Roy GG (2016) Effect of amount of carbon on the reduction efficiency of iron ore-coal composite pellets in multi-layer bed rotary hearth furnace (RHF). Metall Mater Trans B 47B:2347–2356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Rashid RZA, Yunus NA, Salleh HM, Ani MH, Akiyama T, Purwanto H (2014) Enhancement of magnetic properties of malaysian iron ore by reduction roasting using oil palm empty fruit bunch: wustite is paramagnetic phase. ISIJ Int 54:994–996

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Crangle J, Goodman GM (1971) The magnetization of pure iron and nickel. Proc R Soc Lond A 321:477–491

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the funding agency, the Science Engineering Research Board, for providing early career research funds via the grant no. ECR-000874/2016.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-Roorkee, Uttarakhand, 247667, India

    Veeranjaneyulu Rayapudi, Shrey Agrawal & Nikhil Dhawan

Authors
  1. Veeranjaneyulu Rayapudi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shrey Agrawal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nikhil Dhawan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nikhil Dhawan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

The contributing editor for this article was Sharif Jahanshahi.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rayapudi, V., Agrawal, S. & Dhawan, N. Microwave-Assisted Carbothermal Reduction of Banded Hematite Jasper Ore. J. Sustain. Metall. 5, 528–537 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-019-00244-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-019-00244-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation