Indian Manganese Ores and their Thermal Beneficiation for Ferromanganese

Abstract

A review is made of Indian manganese-ore resources and their characteristics discussed in the context of the question of their utilisation for ferromanganese manu-facture with selected fuel, low in phosphorus, in an iron blast furnace or in a Soderberg electric furnace. The projected plans for ferromanganese production in the background of the steel expansions envisaged in the second Plan are outlined. Attempts made abroad in respect of pyro-metallurgical processes for thermal beneficiation of low-grade manganese ores' are also discussed—and ini-tial work done at National Metallurgical Laboratory in this field is noted and details of a pilot-plant scheme drawn up for thermal beneficiation of low-grade ores, including the design of the rotary furnace to be employed, we furnished. Mention is also made of the project on low-shaft-furnace smelting of iron ores with non-coking coals being set up at Jamshedpur through the joint efforts of National Metallurgical Laboratory and the Tale Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. Possibities of comIncting experimental synching on Demag-Humboldt principle are also referred to.