Alleviating dependency on fossil fuel by using cow-dung during iron ore pelletization; Assessment of pellet physical and metallurgical properties

Abstract

To achieve the national steel demand of 300 MTPA by 2030, the pelletization of hematite iron ore concentrate (Fe (T) of 63.65%) has emerged as an innovative technology for the steel industries. A novel and environmentally sustainable technique were adopted and assessed experimentally, maintaining the physical & metallurgical characteristics of hematite iron ore pellet using cow-dung (CD), which has 35.48% of total carbon as a suitable replacement of anthracite coal fines. To know the pellet quality characterization techniques carried out like; Xray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), chemical, and physical properties. At 1250 degrees C of indurated temperature and 1.0% addition of cow-dung, the cold crushing strength (CCS) of 357 kg/pellet and the porosity of 25.36% was achieved. Other physical and mineralogical studies suggested that CD can be used as a renewable carbon resource for sustainable and cleaner production of hematite iron ore pellet. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.