Iron is crucial for industry and the global economy, essential for construction, transport, and manufacturing. However, extracting iron from complex ores, such as those in Um Nar BIF, is challenging due to the interlocking of iron with silica and other minerals, making conventional beneficiation inefficient. This study investigates upgrading Um Nar Banded Iron Formation (BIF) using the Falcon SB-40 concentrator. The Box-Behnken Design (BBD) optimized conditions: g-force of 60, water pressure of 7 psi, and feed rate of 25 g/min, achieving 61.3% Fe grade, 59.29% Fe recovery, and 8.28% SiO2 grade. Given the limits of gravity separation, reduction roasting with biomass sawdust was explored, enhancing results to 59.55% Fe grade, 78% Fe recovery, and 5% SiO2. This research highlights that reduction roasting offers a more effective strategy for processing complex iron ores, contributing valuable insights to the field of mineral processing and sustainable extraction technologies.
BelhajHM. Processing and pelletizing of low grade Malaysian iron ore. Master's thesis, University Sains Malaysia, 2008; 48.
2.
IBM, Iron ore-a market survey. Issued by Controller General, Indian Bureau of Mines, prepared by mineral economics division, 2007; 153.
3.
SelleyRC. SEDIMENTARY ROCKS| mineralogy and classification. In: SelleyRCCocksLRMPlimerIR (eds) Encyclopedia of geology. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2005, pp.25–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-12-369396-9/00304-X.
4.
JamesHLTrendallAF. Banded iron formation: distribution in time and paleoenvironmental significance. In: Mineral deposits and the evolution of the biosphere. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 1982, pp.199–217. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68463-0_11.
5.
JamesHL. Distribution of banded iron formation in space and time. In: TrendallAFMorrisRC (eds) Iron formation: facts and problems. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1983, pp.471–490.
6.
PrabhakarS. Column Flotation for the Beneficiation of Iron Ore Fines. In: International Conference on Iron and Steel Industry: Emerging Trends (Steelrise 2011), Feb. 1-2. 2011, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, 2011. http://eprints.nmlindia.org/4248.
7.
RathRKSinghR. Gravity Concentration of Iron Ore. In: Processing of Iron Ore, Nov. 28-Dec. 01, NML, Jamshedpur, 2007; 74-88. http://eprints.nmlindia.org/5906.
8.
SinghRMehrotraSP. Iron ore resources and beneficiation practices. 2007; 1-16.
9.
LiuXHanYHeF, et al.Characteristic, hazard and iron recovery technology of red mud-A critical review. Journal of Hazardous Materials2021; 420: 126542.
10.
WillsBAFinchJA. Chapter 10- Gravity Concentration, In: Wills’ Mineral processing technology: An introduction to the practical aspects of ore treatment and mineral recovery, Butterworth Heinemann, 2016; 223–44.
11.
McalisterSArmstrongKC. Development of the Falcon concentrators. In: PREPRINTS-SOCIETY OF MINING ENGINEERS OF AIME, 1998.
12.
FonsecaG. The challenge of coal preparation. In: International Symposium on High Efficiency Coal Preparation, Denver, CO: SME, 1995.
13.
RoySKNayakDRathSS. A review on the enrichment of iron values of low-grade iron ore resources using reduction roasting-magnetic separation. Powder Technology2020; 367: 796–808.
14.
ZhuDQZhaoQQiuGZ, et al.Magnetizing roasting magnetic separation of limonite ores from anhui province in east China. Beijing Keji Daxue Xuebao/ J. Univ. Sci. Technol. Beijing2010; 32: 713–718.
15.
KhasrawD.MartinC.HerbertJ., et al.A comprehensive literature review of biomass characterisation and application for iron and steelmaking processes. Fuel, 2024; 368: 131459.
16.
SinghA. K.SinhaO. P.SinghR., A Review on Use of Biomass as An Alternative to Coal for Sustainable Ironmaking. In The International Conference on Metallurgical Engineering and Centenary Celebration, 2023; 375-393. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-6863-3_37
17.
LiuXZhangHLiS, et al.Research on reduction of Fe2O3 by biomass sawdust. J. Shanghai Jiaotong Univ. Sci2017; 22: 280–285.
18.
ZhangKChenXLGuoWC, et al.Effects of biomass reducing agent on magnetic properties and phase transformation of baotou low-grade limonite during magnetizing-roasting. PLOS ONE2017; 12: e0186274.
19.
SalatinoPSolimeneR. Mixing and segregation in fluidized bed thermochemical conversion of biomass. Powder Technol2017; 316: 29–40.
20.
AttiaMI. The geology of iron-ore deposits of Egypt. Cairo: Geological Survey of Egypt, 1950.
21.
Hunting Geophysical Co.Geology of Al Uwaynat, East. Libya, IRC Tripoli. Internal Report, 1974; 190.
22.
BotrosNS. Geological and Geochemical Studies on Some Gold Occurrences in the North Eastern Desert. Ph.D. Thesis, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt., 1991; 146.
23.
HusseinAA. Mineral deposits. In: SaidR (eds) The geology of Egypt. Rotterdam: Balkema, 1990, pp.511–566.
24.
HusseinAA. Ore deposits in Precambrian rocks of sedimentary affiliation in Egypt. Sedimentol. Egypt1998; 6: 13–20.
25.
DardirAA. States and futures development of iron and steel industry in Egypt. Internal report of Geological Survey and Mineral Authority.1990, pp.1–22.
26.
El RamlyMFIvanovSSKochinGG. General review of the mineral potential of Egypt. In: MoharramO (eds) Studies on some mineral deposits of Egypt. Egypt: Geological Survey, 1970, pp.3–27.
27.
El-khalekNAANaserMIYassinKE,et al.Studying the reduction behavior of eastern desert iron after beneficiation using falcon concentrator. Journal of Ore Dressing2014; 16: 11–18.
28.
El HabaakGH. Beneficiation of the Egyptian banded iron formations through magnetic roasting. In: 2nd international conference on geology of Africa, Assiut, Egypt, 2001, Vol. 2, pp.71–85.
29.
El HabaakGH. Geology, geochemistry, genesis and beneficiation of Wadi EI-Dabbah Banded Iron Formation, central Eastern Desert, Egypt. In: Inter. Conf. Geol., Middle East, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998; 1-47.
30.
El-MidanyAAH. Beneficiation of some eastern desert iron ore. M. Sc. Thesis, Faculty of Eng. Cairo University, 1997.
31.
RizkAMDoheimMAEI-HabbakGH. Upgrading of iron ores through magnetic roasting. In: First International Mineral Processing Conference, Zakopane, Poland, 1996; 127-133.
32.
El-GillaniADNegmAAAbouzeidAM. Concentration of Eastern desert iron ores. In: 2nd Metallurgical Conf., A.R.E., 1978; 1-16.
33.
BediwiMF. Preparation and concentration of iron ores from Bahariya Oases and eastern desert in Egypt. In: 1st Conference for iron and steel, Egypt, 1961; 114-123.
34.
American Society for Testing, and Materials, Annual Book of ASTM Standard. Philadephia: ASTM 1984.
35.
BoxGEBehnkenDW. Some new three level designs for the study of quantitative variables. Technometrics1960; 2: 455–475.
36.
SchrinerDAndersonC. Centrifugal concentration of rare earth minerals from calcitic gangue. Journal of Metallurgical Engineering2015; 4: 69–77.
37.
El-MidanyAIbrahimS. Does calcite content affect its separation from celestite by falcon concentrator?Powder Technology,2011; 213: 41–47.
38.
NayakNPalB. Beneficiation of banded hematite jasper using falcon concentrator : an alternative to iron ore resources. Research Open Journal of Mineral and Mining Engineering2013; 1: 8–14.
