R&D FOR INDIAN IRON & STEEL INDUSTRY: FUTURE DIRECTIONS Professor Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur S.P. Mehrotra

R&D Drivers Resource availability Complexity of raw materials Energy considerations Process efficiency Strategic reasons Materials performance/properties Resource conservation through R 3 Environmental impact R&D DRIVERS

TECHNOLOGY GOALS

World Steel Production: Over 1300 MT Indian Steel Production: Around 55 MT Contributing only: 4.2% World average steel consumption: 175 Kg/ capita Indian consumption: 33 Kg/ Capita FURNACE PERFORMANCE PARAMETERINDIAABROAD Productivity (t/m3/d)1.6 to to 3.0 coke rate (kg/thm) Coal Injection (kg/thm) Si (%)0.7 to to 0.3 % Sinter Blast Temp. C A COMPARISON

26 billion tonne Hematite-14 bt Proposed Production = 0.4 bt Will last for next years ? Downgrade cut off to 52% Fe and threshold to 40% Fe High Alumina Intricate nature Poor liberation Availability Consumption Concern Initiative Complex association of Hematite (white) with Goethite (dull grey), Quartz (gray) and Clay (brown) Issues Problems Options Challenges #Development of fine particle processing like Teetered Column, Packed column Jig, Centrifugal separators, Flotation, Magnetic Separation # Solid–liquid separation #Improved sintering #Pelletisation with improved properties Solutions Utilization of magnetite Processing fines Increase sinters/pellets # Total beneficiation #Shift from lumps to beneficiated fines #Higher proportion of blue dust in sinter #Low grade fines for DR processes #Exploitation of low grade ores >45% Fe # Utilisation of residual slimes/ tailings Indian Iron Ore

COAL Issues Problems Challenges Low coking coal reserves at 5.3 bt Low vol. semi-coking /non-coking at 120 bt High Ash Content High NGM Poor liberation Difficult to wash Beneficiation options Low ash (8-10%) clean coal with low yield Restriction of fines in coke making Low ash, high sulphur NE coals Fine gravity separation Flotation Bio-beneficiation Reagent regime Dewatering

SPECIFICATIONS OF IRON ORE FOR I & S MAKING BF Fe % Al 2 O 3 - <2 % Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 - <1.0 DR Processes Fe - >65% SiO 2 + Al 2 O 3 - 2% World Practice: Al 2 O 3 <1 % for fines used for sintering The Problem : HIGH ALUMINA (Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 > 1.0) Affects Efficient operation of BF

OBSERVATIONS ON CURRENT INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE With the availability of iron ore reserves most of the iron ore mines in India have been operated by selective mining for maintaining high grade of ore. The current industrial practice of iron ore washing is oriented towards product with Al 2 O 3. To maintain high grade ore, low grade lumps and laterites are rejected. Generally fines ( mm) are not being processed and if alumina content is high, these are dumped. The present iron ore washing circuit produces slimes, particles below 0.15 mm which are discarded as waste. The generation of slimes is about 15-20% of the feed to the plant. The present industrial practice causes huge loss of iron values and has adverse effects on environment. No low grade ores are exploited.

PROBLEM OF HIGH ALUMINA IN LOW GRADE ORES (?) Though the present scheme is ok for good grade ores and but it needs radical change in technology for exploitation of low grade ores/ fines and slimes Due to preferential association of iron oxide minerals with finely disseminated alumina bearing minerals than siliceous minerals, Al 2 O 3 : SiO 2 ratio >1 Alumina contributed by clay (koalinite, montmorillonite, illite, alunite), lateritic material and gibbsite Aluminous minerals occur as coating, cavity fillings and also as solid solution in iron oxide minerals In several cases fine grinding is required for liberation Mere Washing can not Reduce Alumina to Desired level in Low Grade Ores

Effect of alumina on RDI & Blast furnace productivity High alumina Adverse effects on BF productivity

FINANCIAL IMPLICATION Increase in Fe in the boundary by 1% will increase hot metal productivity by 1.5% - 2%, decrease coke rate by 0.8 – 1.2%. This will result in reduction in production cost by Rs.60 – 70/thm 1% reduction of alumina in iron burden will reduce the cost of hot metal by Rs.200 – 250/thm lowering of silica in iron ore burden by 1% will reduce the cost of hot metal by Rs /thm reduction in undersize in iron ore lump by 1% will lower hot metal production cost by Rs.50 – 60/thm reduction in fluctuation in Fe chemistry by 1% will reduce the cost of hot metal by Rs.40 – 50/thm with even 0.5% reduction in alumina in burden, 5% reduction in undersize and improvement in physical and chemical consistency Expected saving is Rs.150 crorers for a 4Mtpa hot metal production plant

ConstituentsAssay, % Fe Al 2 O 3 SiO 2 LOI NML process for beneficiation of low grade iron ore to a high grade concentrate (65%Fe), suitable as feed to DRI pellet plant.

R & D PROPOSALS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE (As Identified by Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India) 1.Beneficiation/ Upgradation of low grade hematite and magnetite iron ore with improved yield and their economic utilization. 2.Exploration/ Beneficiation of Indian bauxite/production of fused magnesia using Indian Magnesite. 3.Utilization of slimes and over burden of iron ore and other minerals. 4.Beneficiation/ utilization of high ash Indian coking/ Non coking coal with improved yield. 5.Alternate iron making through rotary hearth furnace using ore/ coal composite pellets. 6.Mineral and plant waste utilization and recycling. 7.Use of sea water in iron & steel industry including mineral processing industry. 8.Development of ultra fine grained high tensile steel products (YS: Mpa) 9.Co2 capture & sequestration in ferrous industry 10.Waste heat recovery 11.Novel joining techniques fro Steel – Steel / Steel – Other metals.

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