Prospects of Utilization of Low Grade Iron Ore from Kiriburu

Abstract

In the present investigation low grade iron ore containing around 54% Fe, 5%SiO 2 and 8% Al 2 O 3 was taken up. It was observed that in the coarser fraction (-30+10 mm) the Fe content is 60% while the finer fractions in the size range of -10+0.15 mm contain around 54% Fe. The -0.15mm fraction contains less than 35% Fe and was rejected. No significant enrichment was observed for the -30+10 mm fraction using gravity concentration. However, magnetic separation of this fraction in permroll resulted in the generation of a concentrate with 19% yield at 62.75% Fe. In all size fractions ranges between -10 to 0.15 mm gravity concentration techniques were found to be ineffective. Therefore, for further recovery of iron values, the tailings from the magnetic separation of -30+10 mm fraction and the original finer material (-10+0.15 mm) were ground to - 0.15mm and subjected to wet high intensity magnetic separation after desliming to obtain pellet grade concentrate.