Beneficiation of Iron in Thermal-Reduced Ilmenite by Magnetic Separation

Warui S. Kariuki, Jackson W. Muthengia, Mutembei K. Peterson, Peter N. Waithaka

Abstract: Increasing demands for Iron in countries development, and lack of conventional reducing agents has resulted into sourcing of alternative ways of beneficiating the iron ore. This paper reports on the study that was done to concentrate low grade iron ores. Raw biomass / low grade iron ore mixed in the ratio of 110 in a reducing environment was heated in a controlled air condition to increase the magnetic susceptibility of iron in the ore. The magnetic portion of the resulting product was separated using a horse shoe-magnet. This resulted into concentrating the ore from 45.6 % - 53.1 % to 76.3 %- 82.2 %. This gave an ore that could be fed to a blast furnace for extraction of iron

Keywords: Ilmenite, Maghemite, beneficiation, iron, magnetic