Beneficiation Study on Sandur Schist Belt Iron Ore Using Hyydrosizer 43

Beneficiation Study on Sandur Schist Belt Iron Ore

Using Hydrosizer
B. Suresh, K.T. Sharana Gouda, M.G. Sampath Kumar, M. Prabhu,
U.S. Yadav and D.L. Saralaya
JSW Steel Ltd. Vijaynagar Works, Bellary, Karnataka

ABSTRACT: The iron ore deposits of Sandur Schist belt is characterized as soft ore with higher alumina. The
mining in this region has exhausted rich ores; however the deposits not so rich are abundant. JSW Steel
being one of the prime consumers of this resource has made a beginning in beneficiation studies. Laboratory
and pilot scale beneficiation studies were undertaken. A hydrosizer was devised indigenously.
Experimentation on selected iron ore samples were carried out. Studies revealed that teeter-water and feed
rate are important parameters in achieving improved product-grade, recovery and cut-point values. In low-
grade ore the increase in the iron percentage was about 3-4 percent points whereas in high-grade ores the up-
gradation was only 0.5-1 percent points. Study indicated that –1mm feed size is optimum and the separation
cut-points can be varied in 20-100 microns range. Present paper records the results of study carried out at
JSW Steel on beneficiation of low grade ore from Sandur Schist belt.

1. INTRODUCTION velocity of the fluid and an underflow particles

The hydrosizer is an advanced hydraulic
classification unit. It is a classifier-cum- gravity
separator. It replaces the cluster of spirals and
hydrocyclone. The operation and maintenance of
hydrosizer is simple. It is quite a promising device
for beneficiation of iron ore. It is capable of
providing desired cut-point, sharp cut-size and
consistent performance irrespective of slight
variations in process parameters (Austin et al,
1992). A laboratory-scale hydrosizer has
indigenously been devised at JSW Steel. A series
of tests were carried for the beneficiation of low-
grade iron ore of Sandur/Hospet area. Present
paper summarizes the results obtained on a
laboratory hydrosizer.
2. DESCRIPTION
A typical hydrosizer consists of a sorting column
wherein a fluid rises at an uniform rate. The
mineral particles are introduced into the sorting
column from the top. The particles either sink or
float according to their terminal velocities
(Wills,1997 ). The sorting column separates the
feed into two products -an over flow consisting of
particles with terminal velocities less than the
with terminal velocities greater than the rising
velocity.
In a system having water as a medium the
classification is achieved by either free settling or
hindered settling conditions. Free settling
condition refers to the sinking of particles in a
volume of fluid, quite large with respect to the
total volume of the particles. Here particle
crowding is negligible and the free settling
predominates with the solids less than 15 percent
by weight. In hindered settling the proportion of
solids in the pulp is higher, particle crowding
becomes more predominant and the settling rate
of the particles decreases due to inter-particle
hindrance. The system begins to behave as a
heavy liquid whose density is that of the pulp
rather than that of the carrier liquid hence the
hindered-settling conditions prevail.
The hindered-bed separators utilize a down
comer to introduce feed material to the system.
This material enters the feed zone and encounters
either free or hindered settling conditions (Cho
and Klima, 1994). Slower settling material reports
to the top of the teeter-bed and low-density faster
settling particles descend to the bottom. The fine
material reports to the overflow and the high
density coarse materials report to the underflow.
44  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
Particles that settle through the teeter bed enter a
dewatering cone and are discharged through an 12 10.8
underflow control valve. 10 9.1
8.3

% SiO2 (average of 27 expts)

7.5 7.2
8
6.4
3. EXPERIMENTAL 6
5.6

3.2 3.1 3.5

4
Following samples were selected for 2.1 2.4

experimentation. 2

0
(i) SMIORE (feed size: –1mm) Smiore ®, -1mm Smiore ®, -100# HRG, -1mm NMDC Rake, -1mm
(ii) SMIORE (feedsize: 0.15mm)
(iii)HRG (feed size: –1mm) SiO2 u/f SiO2 o/f SiO2 feed

(iv) NMDC (feed size: –1mm)

Samples were ground to above-mentioned Fig. 3: Distribution of SiO2 in products
specifications in laboratory-ball mill. It was
followed by particle size and size-wise chemical
9
analysis by RODOS Laser particle size analyzer 8
7.7

and bench top XRF respectively. Total 27 7 6.2

% Al2O3 (average of 27 expts)

experiments were conducted by considering three 6

4.8
5.5
4.7
variable parameters. The Teeter water, slurry 5 4.1
4 3.4
water and feed rate at three levels were investigated. 3 2.4
2.0 2.0 2.2
Products collected from each experiment were 2
1.9

dewatered, dried, weighed and subjected to 1

particle size and chemical analysis. 0

Smiore ®, -1mm Smiore ®, -100# HRG, -1mm NMDC Rake, -1mm

Al2O3 u/f Al2O3 o/f Al2O3 feed

100 Fig. 2: Distribution of Al2O3, in products

90
80
65.1 63.6 64.7 64.4
70 58.9 60.9 63.8
57.6
52.7
56.5 54.9 57.8 7
% Fe (average of 27 expts)

60
5.7 5.8
50 6
5.0 5.1
40 4.8 4.9
5
30
% LOI (average of 27 expts)

20 4
3.0 2.9
10 3 2.5 2.7
0 1.9 2.0
2
Smiore ®, -1mm Smiore ®, -100# HRG, -1mm NMDC Rake, -1mm
1
Fe u/f Fe o/f Fe feed 0
Smiore ®, -1mm Smiore ®, -100# HRG, -1mm NMDC Rake, -1mm

LOI u/f LOI o/f LOI feed

Fig. 1: Distribution of Fe in products

Fig. 4: Distribution of LOI in products

Beneficiation Study on Sandur Schist Belt Iron Ore Using Hyydrosizer 45

100 100
90 90
80 80
70 70
60

% of feed to u/f
60
Wt% of feed u/f

50 50
40 40
30
30 20
20 10
10 0
0 0 20 40 60 80 10 12 14 16 18 20
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nominal size Nominal size, micron

100 105
90
80 90
70 75
60
% of feed to u/f

50 60
% of feed to u/f
40 45
30
20 30
10 15
0
0
0 20 40 60 80 10 12 14 16 18 20
0 20 40 60 80 10 12 14 16 18 20
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Nominal size, micron
Nominal size, micron

Fig. 5: The average cut-points of 27 experiments on each sample.

4. RESULTS SMIORE-red (-1mm), SMIORE-red (-100#),

The average chemistry (Fe, SiO2, Al2O3 and LOI)
of total 27 experiments from four samples are
represented in Figs. 1 to Fig.4. It may be noted
that apart from the high-grade ores (HRG and
NMDC) the iron content up-gradation is quite
distinct, i.e. Fe up-gradation @ SMIORE ®
(-1mm and -100#) is 1.14 and 1.07 units
respectively. Similarly, the gangue content (SiO2,
Al2O3 & LOI) is better washed to tailing/
overflow. The Fe recovery is comparatively
appreciable with low-grade ores.
The partition curves for different ore samples
are presented in Fig. 5. The results show a very
good similarity. The curves define the sharpness
of the separation; decreased range between d25
and d75. The cut-points (d50) of iron ore samples of
NMDC and HRG are 41, 38, 38 and 47 microns
respectively suggesting that hydrosizer is quite
capable of sharp cutting at very finer size ranges.
Feed rate is one of the critical parameter of the
equipment performance/separation efficiency. The
influence of the feed rate (kg/hr) against the
underflow yield and the ratio of the Fe
concentration is shown in Fig.6. The
representations of SMIORE ®, NMDC and HRG
reveal that the ratio of Fe concentration and
underflow yields are consistent irrespective of the
consistency of the feed rate. It indicates that the
equipment is quite flexible to obtain better
separation with varied feed rates. It is observed
that similar to other classification techniques here
also the initial Fe concentration and the Fe
recovery varies inversely.
46  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
SMIORE (R), -1mm SMIORE (R), -100#

250 2 100 2
200 80
u/f, yield% & Feed

Ratio of conc (Fe)

Feed rate & yield
Ratio of Fe conc.
1.5 1.5
150 60
rate

1 1
100 40
0.5 20 0.5
50
0 0 0 0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
No. of Expts No. of expts
Yield % (u/f) Feed rate, kg/hr R.Conc. u/f yield% Feed rate, kg/hr Ratio of conc.

NMDC rake, -1mm HRG, -1mm

250 1.5 500 2.00

u/f, yield% & Feed

200
Ratio of Fe conc.

u/f yield % & Feed 400 1.50

1

Ratio of conc
150 300
rate

rate
100 1.00
0.5 200
50 0.50
100
0 0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 0 0.00
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
No. of expts
Yield % (u/f) Feed rate, t/hr R.Conc. Ratio of conc No. of rate
Fedd expts Yield, %

Fig. 6: Variation in feed rate/ratio of Fe conc. and yield

5. CONCLUSIONS level Al2O3 and SiO2 drops are 32 and 24

• The hydrosizer is a classifier cum gravity
separator.
• The optimum feed size for hydrosizer is
–1 mm.
• The equipment is quite capable of cutting
at narrow size ranges sharply and hence
hydrosizer can be understood as
hydraulic classifier.
• Fe enrichment in underflow improves as
the feed rate increases indicating partial
influence of gravity separation/hindered
settling of particle takes place in
complement with classification.
• Drop in silica and alumina in the
underflow product will have mutual
relation with the cut points. At -1mm
percents respectively.
• Fe up-gradation in underflow is more
effective while treating low-grade ores.
Fe value increases from 54 to 58 percent
at a Fe-recovery of 75 percent.
REFERENCES
[1] Austin, L.G., Lee, C.H., Concha, F and Luckie,
P.T., “Hindered Settling and Classification
Partition Curves,” Mineral and Metallurgical
Processing, Vol. 9, No.4, 1661-168 (1992).
[2] Wills, Barry A., A Text Book of Mineral
Processing Technology, 6th edition Camborne
School of Mines Cornwall, UK. (1997).
[3] Cho, H. and Klima, M.S., “Application of a
Batch Hindered-Settling Model to Dense
Medium Separations,” Coal Preparation, Vol.14,
167-184 (1994).