PILOT SCALE STUDIES ON CALCINATION OF DEVECİ SIDERITES

ABSTRACT
        The aim of this study which was held at MTA's Technology Division is to seek for the possibilities to obtain a usable product for convention-al iron blast furnaces by upgrading the Deveci siderite ore by calcina-tion techniques.
        The studies were carried out on representative siderite samples taken from Deveci ore bed contalining 39 per cent Fe, 4.5 per cent Mn and 34 per cent CO₂ Chemical, mineralogical, X-Ray and microprobe analyses were done on test samples.
        The ore contains mainly siderite about 88-90 volume per cent.
        Accessory minerals are quartz, colourless mica, serpantine, goethite rutile. Some complex Ca, Mn, Fe, Mg oxides are also present.
        Calcination was employed to upgrade the ore. Calcination temperatures between 700°C and 900°C and calcination durations between 30 and 60 minutes were employed on -50 mm size fraction.
        The product obtained, after calcination, contains 56-57 per cont iron, 6.3 per cent Mn., and 0.5 to 1.0 per cent CO₂.
        The product exhibits lower physical characteristies compared with the original ore. Physical quality tests carried out to show the suitability of the product for direct blast furnace use. ASTM Tumbling Test results suggest that the strength of the product is acceptable but the abrasion index is around the lower limit of the standarts.
        Chemical and X-Ray analysis were also carried out on product samples.