Reduction of Briquette Composite Made of Low Grade Iron Ore and Biomass Ash

oleh Nurul Azhani Yunus, Hanafi Mohd Ani, Hadi Purwanto, Hamzah Mohd Salleh, Tomohiro Akiyama, Rusila Zamani Abd Rashid, Mohd Hafizuddin Mohd Aziz

Penerbit - International Islamic University Malaysia, Hokkaido University

Kategori - Novel Am

Mini blast furnace project has been constructed to increase pig iron production for domestic consumption produced by HyL process. Malaysia has no significant high grade iron ore deposit while domestic low grade ore could not be utilized for direct reduction process. Beneficiation of the low grade ore containing crystalline water from Malaysian iron ore deposits is an attractive alternative resource for domestic iron-making. However, the use of low grade iron ore in iron making requires extra energy consumption and contributes to greenhouse gases. We proposed a series of processes for beneficiation of local iron ore utilizing renewable and environmental friendly agricultural residues from domestic palm oil industry as an energy source and processing materials. Briquette composites of iron ore and ash by product of palm oil Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) pyrolysis were produced with minute amount of water added as binder. Reduction tests were carried out between 600°C to 900°C under argon gas atmosphere in a glass tube furnace. The extent of sample reduction was estimated by oxygen removal and considering the weight loss. The chemical and structural changes of iron ore before and after reduction were characterized using XRD, TG/DTA and SEM. The results showed that increase in reduction temperature and EFB ash content in the briquette will increase the extent of reduction. XRD results suggest that the original iron oxide hydrate in the ore has been converted into hematite after heating at desired temperature due to dehydration process. Hematite was partially reduced to magnetite and wustite after reduction and the extent of reduction increased with increasing ash content. The results also indicate that ash from EFB could be a promising energy source for upgrading low grade iron ore by producing reducing gas that will replace part of coal in ironmaking leading to reduction in CO2 emission.

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