Beneficiation of indian iron ore lumps and fines by using underbed air–pulsated BATAC jigs

Abstract

After setting a target of 100 MT/yr of Steel by 2012, Indian Steelmakers and Iron Ore producers are already struggling due to the depleted grade of Iron Ore available in India. The main impurities dominating the Indian Iron Ores are SiO2 and Al2O3 which should be reduced with an economical method of Beneficiation. Jigs are the earliest type of process equipments employed in mineral separation but the newly developed under bed pulsated BATAC Jig has considerable advantages over its counterparts. There are various types of BATAC Jigs available for Lump and Fines such as Lump Ore (2 products/3 products) Jig and Fine Ore (2- product) Jig. A South African iron ore producer recently commissioned a 10 Mtpa-capacity greenfield Iron Ore beneficiation plant with 2 Lump Ore BATAC Jigs and 2 Fine Ore with a combined capacity of 1240 tph at Assmang Khumani Iron Ore Mine in Northern Cape, South Africa. The Concentrate contains a Fe grade of > 66%. A further capacity expansion project to 16 Mtpa product is currently underway using 3 more BATAC jigs. The first large scale Iron Ore Jig beneficiation plant in India was commissioned in 2006 at Noamundi in the state of Jharkhand. Tata Steel is already operating a 300 tph Fine Ore BATAC Jig Iron Ore Plant there. Patnaik Minerals also followed the pattern and started constructing 100 tph Fine Ore Jigging Plant at Joda, Jharkhand. There are different combinations possible in which unit operations can be arranged which include Jigs as the heart of the beneficiation process. These various types of flow sheets provided this beneficiation method with an advantage over other unit operations. Lessons learned and best practices regarding equipment selection and operation acquired during the last 10 years are summarized to define potential BATAC Jig applications in Iron Ore. Finally, field experiences and results are analyzed to establish the best strategy to fit specific Indian Iron Ore conditions.