Comparative study for reducibility of various Egyptian iron ores

Abstract

In order to develop iron industries taking the cost in consideration and to understand the behavior of the ore during processing, extensive mineralogical characterization for affordable ores is required. The comparative reduction behavior for fired and green samples from various ores and concentrates at different conditions simulating different zones of blast furnaces are investigated. At various zones, the semi-melted phase in green Aswan ore (Fayalite and calcium phosphate) resists the reducing gases access and retarding the reduction progress. Companionship of magnetite in green EDC decrease reaction rate. Firing increase the rate of reduction as the grain boundaries became clearer with smaller size, with addition to increasing porosity on account of heat. On the other hand for fired EDC samples, the hardly reduced magnetite phase is converted to hematite phase that is relatively easily to be reduced. Grain surface area is increased of EDC which boost the reaction.