Esse artigo apresenta uma análise crítica da metodologia empregada para avaliação técnica rotineira de finos de minérios de ferro para sinterização, tanto por parte das siderúrgicas, quanto pelas minerações brasileiras, com base apenas no controle granulométrico e químico. Sugere-se a realização da caracterização mineralógica das partículas nucleantes, intermediárias e aderentes do sinter feed, visando à otimização do processo e à melhoria da qualidade intrínseca do produto, destacando os principais atributos que devem constituir a sua identidade microestrutural. Vislumbra-se, para os próximos anos, uma verdadeira revolução nos critérios que norteiam a análise técnica de minérios para os processos industriais de aglomeração. Palavras

Experiments and results concerning Powder Coal Injection into blast furnaces are presented. A pilot plant, similar to a blast furnace tuyere, with a high thermal gradient, developed at Escola de Minas‐UFOP, Brazil, is described. Several tests have been performed in this pilot plant, using a mixture of three coals and preheating the coal, giving the following conclusions: preheating of coal and the mixture of more than two coals, not commonly practised by now, are appropriate for improving the combustion rate and thus enhancing the coal injection technique.

The mineralogical characterization studies search for the best processing route, with the lowest environmental impact, aiming to improve the use of mineral resources. The electronic quantitative mineralogy (EQM) provides quickly and accurately great information about the characteristics of these materials. This work aims to characterize iron ore tailings by EQM as the main tool. It has selected seven samples of itabirite ores flotation tailings from the main mining regions of the Quadrilatero Ferrifero, Brazil. All samples were mostly composed by quartz and iron minerals, with a low presence of mixture particles of these minerals-less than 20% of the sample mass. Due to the difference between the size of particles of quartz and iron minerals, it has observed an opportunity to reprocess the fractions-37μm + 5μm of the studied tailings, with a potential recovery of 12% of the total sample mass generated for AM4, AM6 and AM7 and more than 5% for samples AM1, AM2, AM3 and AM5.

Alguns dados sobre a injeção de carvão pulverizado são mostrados bem como uma descrição do modelo de combustão de partículas com elevado gradiente térmico construído na Escola de Minas - UFOP. Usando misturas de três carvões, bem como pré-aquecimento de carvão, foi possível constatar que: o uso de misturas de mais de dois carvões bem como o seu pré-aquecimento podem ser duas técnicas a serem usadas em altos-fornos no sentido de melhorar ainda mais os rendimentos obtidos nos reatores que usam a técnica de injeção.
Some data about coal powder injection have been shown and one physical model, with high thermal gradient constructed at Escola de Minas-UFOP is described Using mixture of coal (3) and pre-heating of the coal some tests have been done, giving the conclusions below: pre heating of coal could be a good idea for improving the results obtained into the blast furnace, so mixture of more than two coals, not common practiced, could improve the combustion rate

A virtual reality (VR) model has been developed in the case of a generic green ironmaking industrial unit, namely a typical charcoal mini-blast furnace (CMBF) plant in Brazil. The VR prototype construction of the CMBF plant has been implemented through integration of data in different softwares and hardwares, including detailed engineering design of various auxiliary units and major equipments with realistic project parameters. Through the VR technology, one can actually have the unique experience visiting all parts of the CMBF plant, promote technical discussions on engineering and process control with users and improve information handling, communication, safety, maintenance procedures and development of advanced engineering projects in the field. VR industry-professional education platform can be used in universities, museums and industries with great benefits to students, workers and users.