The Beneficiation Process

The earth’s surface is made up of compounds which are extracted for commercial gain. Iron ore is the most important for producing building materials. Not all iron ore is created equal.

The grade of iron is determined by the Fe content in the ore. Profitable elements of the ore are then separated through physical techniques.

Ores with greater than 60% are considered ‘natural ores’ and can go straight into the blast furnace. It is also called ‘direct shipping ore’ and is ready for export. For ore that has a less than 60% Fe content, it is considered low grade and can’t be used for the production of iron and steel. It needs to be upgraded to reduce its gangue content and increase its Fe content. The process of improving the value of ore by removing certain minerals is called beneficiation.

With over a billion tonnes of steel required worldwide in 2016, the beneficiation process is needed to keep up with demand. Beneficiation technology is improving all the time to maximise the value of the iron content that can be extracted from this natural resource.

The beneficiation process involves the ore being cleansed of oxygen, crushing, grinding and screening. The beneficiation treatment used will depend on the gangue present and its association with the ore structure. Ores from different geological areas have their own mineralogical characteristics and will require a particular beneficiation treatment to gain the best product.

Some of the beneficiation methods include:

· Jigging

· Magnetic separation

· Gravity separation

· Washing

· Floatation

Each sub-process during beneficiation increases the iron content that can be extracted from the iron ore. So the Fe content of the ore goes up while the gangue content reduces.

For more information about beneficiation technology and how it may improve the value of your organisation’s iron ore, please contact us.

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