International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials

Volume 26, Number 1, January 2019, Page 41

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1708-x

Effect of molasses binder on the physical and mechanical properties

of iron ore pellets

Anand Babu Kotta, Anshuman Patra, Mithilesh Kumar, and Swapan Kumar Karak
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008, Orissa, India
(Received: 6 April 2018; revised: 11 June 2018; accepted: 20 September 2018)

Abstract: Molasses was used as an alternative binder to the bentonite binder. The change in moisture absorption by pellets prepared with
different iron ores and different molasses contents were investigated. Iron ore properties exerted the major effect on pellet behavior and final
pellet quality. The absorbed moisture content of pellets prepared without binder, bentonite-added pellets, and molasses-added pellets were in
the range of 7.72%–9.95%, 9.62%–10.84%, and 6.14%−6.69%, respectively. The wet pellet compressive strength of molasses-added pellets
(43–230 N/pellet) was superior to that of bentonite-added pellets (9.47–11.92 N/pellet). The compressive strength of dried molasses-modified
pellets increased to 222–394 N/pellet, which is currently the highest value achieved for dried pellets.

Keywords: iron ore; molasses binder; moisture absorption; pellet strength; physical and mechanical properties

1. Introduction Numerous studies have found that the optimal amount of

Low-grade iron ore accounts for 60% of iron ore pro-
duced in India [1]. Approximately 10%-15% of iron ore is
converted into fines during mining. These generated fines are
not useful for economic iron production through conventional
techniques and can only be used in iron production in rotary
kilns after pelletization through agglomeration. Iron ore
fines are pelletized through mixing with additives and
moisture followed by rotation in a disk pelletizer [2]. The
wet pellets lack sufficient strength to withstand movement
through the conveyor belt to furnaces. Hence, the strength of
the wet pellets must be improved prior to drying and firing [3].
Pellet strength is essential for withstanding the rigors of
transport and handling during various processing stages.
Tsukerman et al. [4] reported that pellet drying accounts for
25% of the total energy consumption of pellet production.
This requirement may increase production cost. Slightly
improving the pellet drying performance of sintering fur-
naces can result in considerable savings for the iron industry.
The moisture percentage of pellets must be reduced without
compromising pellet strength to reduce energy consumption
during drying [5].
moisture required for the pelletization of iron ore fines gen-
erally depends on the chemical composition of the pellet and
the type of binder [6−7]. Binders not only help improve pel-
let strength but also control moisture content. Bentonite is
universally used as a binder for iron ore pellets. Bentonite,
however, contains unwanted silica and alumina impurities.
Sivrikaya and Arol [8] reported that the addition of 1.0wt%
bentonite decreases iron production by 0.6%–0.7%; moreo-
ver, the increased silica content of the pellets may increase
energy consumption by 30 kW⋅h⋅t−1 and consequently in-
crease production costs. Many researchers have focused on
identifying an alternative binder to bentonite.
For decades, hundreds of minerals and clays (mostly si-
licate-based binders) have been applied as alternative bind-
ers in the production of iron ore pellets and have been found
to provide sufficient strength to iron ore pellets [9–10]. At
present, the focus has shifted to the use of organic binders in
pelletization. The performance of organic binders has been
compared with that of bentonite binders. Carboxymethyl-
cellulose (CMC), calcined colemanite, Peridur C-10, Peridur
CX3, corn starch, modified starch, paper sludge, lactose
monohydrate (dairy waste), DPEP06-0007 Polymer, Super-

Corresponding author: Swapan Kumar Karak E-mail: karaksk@nitrkl.ac.in

© University of Science and Technology Beijing and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019
42 Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., Vol. 26, No. 1, Jan. 2019

floc A150-LMW, Sodium lignosulfonate, copper smelting slag, 2. Experimental

and fly ash have been used as organic pellet binders [11–17].
The required pellet strength has been successfully obtained
under wet and drying conditions. Nevertheless, moisture
absorption and its influence on pellet properties, particularly
strength, have received limited attention. The moisture ab-
sorption capacities of most organic binders are higher than
those of bentonite binder; thus, their use increases pel-
let-drying cost [18–20]. Few studies have investigated the
use of viscous binders and have failed to compare the results
obtained for different grades of iron ore [21–25].
The present work aims to address the problem of in-
creased energy consumption during the drying of iron ore
pellets by reducing the moisture content of prepared pellets
through the use of the appropriate binder. Molasses was
chosen as a binder for the production of pellets with the re-
quired strength. The characteristics and properties of mo-
lasses-added pellets were compared with those of bento-
nite-added pellets. The effects of binder addition on the pel-
letization characteristics of different iron ore fines and the
drop numbers and compressive strengths of wet and dry
pellets were also investigated.
2.1. Raw materials
2.1.1. Iron ores and the determination of their properties
Samples of hematite iron ore were collected from the
Orissa and Chhattisgarh Regions, India. The chemical
compositions of the iron ores were determined through
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF-1800, SHIMADZU,
Japan). The results are shown in Table 1. Essel ore had a
lower Fe content (56.50wt%) than Kirandul and Bacheli
ores, which had Fe contents of 65.79wt% and 67.0wt%, re-
spectively. XRD analysis was performed to identify the
phases present in the iron ore samples. The XRD patterns of
the ores are shown in Fig. 1 and reveal that hematite, silicon
oxide, and aluminum oxides were the primary phases in the
ores. The pore volumes and surface areas of the ore samples
were determined with a BET surface area analyzer (Quanta
chrome/AUTOSORB-1) and are presented in Table 2. Con-
siderable variations were observed in the moisture contents
(0.98% to 2.9%), total pore volumes (0.0866 to 0.1152
g/mL), and specific surface areas (8.634 to 12.588 m2/g) of
the ores.

Table 1. Nominal chemical composition of iron ores from different mines wt%

Name of the iron ore mine Fe Fe2O3 Al2O3 SiO2 P S LOI

Essel 56.50 80.78 7.53 4.54 0.065 0.016 7.54
OMC 62.63 89.56 3.79 3.92 0.063 0.015 2.43
PTA 64.06 91.60 2.52 2.61 0.061 0.015 2.31
Kirandul 65.79 91.02 2.12 2.86 0.062 0.014 2.25
Bacheli 67.00 93.00 1.50 2.10 0.040 0.012 2.12
Note: OMC－Orissa mining corporation Ltd.; PTA－Penguine Trading & Agencies Ltd.

work. The results for the bentonite-added pellets were com-

pared with those for the molasses-added pellets. Molasses
was prepared by heating natural sugar cane juice for 4 h at
140°C. The preparation of molasses and iron ore pellets is
schematically presented in Fig. 2.

Table 2. Specific surface areas and total pore volumes of iron

ore fines measured through BET surface analysis
Name of the iron Specific surface area / Total pore volume /
ore mine (m2⋅g−1) (mL⋅g−1)
Essel 12.588 0.1152
Fig. 1. X-ray diffraction spectra of raw iron ores collected
OMC 11.314 0.1108
from different mines.
PTA 10.013 0.0914
2.1.2. Binders
Kirandul 8.765 0.0877
Bentonite and molasses were selected as pellet binders.
Bacheli 8.364 0.0866
Bentonite was used as the reference binder in the present
A.B. Kotta et al., Effect of molasses binder on the physical and mechanical properties of iron ore pellets
Fig. 2. Flow chart illustrating the preparation of molasses
and iron ore pellets.
2.2. Experimental contents and methods
2.2.1. Wet pellet preparation
Pellets were prepared by mixing iron ore particles (≤ 72 µm),
binder, and sufficient amounts of moisture. Iron ore particles
and binder were mixed thoroughly for 10 min and imme-
diately added to the disk pelletizer. The disk pelletizer was
operated at a speed of 25 r/min for pellet production. The
pellets were then removed from the pelletizer.
2.2.2. Absorbed moisture content
The absorbed moisture content of the iron ore pellets was
determined by obtaining the difference between the weights
of wet pellets and pellets that had been completely dried at
105°C.
2.2.3. Drop number
Freshly prepared wet pellets (10 pellets) were subjected
to the drop number test. Each pellet was dropped from a
height of 45 cm onto a standard steel plate. The test was re-
peated until the pellet slightly cracked, and its final drop
number was recorded [13].
2.2.4. Compressive strength
Wet and oven-dried pellets were subjected to the com-
pressive strength test by using Instron 5569 with a maxi-
mum capacity of 10 kN. The load required to fracture the
pellet was considered as the compressive strength of the
pellet. At least 10 samples of a particular iron ore composi-
tion were tested. Results are presented as the average of
the results of at least 10 samples. ISO 4700 standards state
that the mean compressive strength values of wet pellets
and dry pellets should be at least 8.9 and 22.4 N, respec-
tively [26].
43
2.2.5. Porosity
The porosity values of oven-dried iron ore pellets were
obtained through the Archimedes method. Pellet weight was
first measured. Then, the sample was immersed in kerosene
for a specific duration to allow kerosene to completely fill
the pores of the sample. The samples were reweighed, and
the difference in weights was compared.
2.2.6. Microstructural characterization
Dried pellet samples were sectioned transversely. Micro-
structures were visualized under scanning electron micro-
scopy (SEM, JEOL JSM-6084LV at 20 kV) for the study of
agglomeration behavior.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Absorbed moisture content
3.1.1. Effect of different iron ores on absorbed moisture
content
The moisture absorptivity range of different iron ore pel-
lets varies substantially from ore to ore, as shown in Figs. 3
and 4. During pelletization, externally added moisture
spreads over iron ore particles and bridges particles. Kiran-
dul and Bacheli iron ore pellets were more sensitive to
moisture content than the other ores. Other iron ores (PTA,
OMC, and Essel) require high amounts of moisture to form
pellets. Porous iron ores absorb high amounts of moisture
during pelletization [27–29]. As shown in Tables 1 and 2,
Essel iron ore contains more gangue (SiO2 + Al2O3 = 13.0%)
and pore volume (0.1152 m2/g) than other iron ores. There-
fore, Essel iron ores can absorb and hold more water than
the other ores. This result agrees well with industrial expe-
rience.
3.1.2. Effect of bentonite addition on moisture absorption
The moisture absorptivity of different iron ores prepared
with and without binders was studied. Fig. 3 shows that Es-
sel iron ore pellets absorbed high amounts of moisture
(9.95%). The Kirandul and Bacheli iron ore pellets showed
the lowest absorption values (i.e., 7.85% and 7.72%). The
addition of bentonite binder increased moisture absorption.
As shown in Fig. 3, moisture absorption capacity increased
with increasing bentonite content (0.5wt%–1.0wt%) be-
cause bentonite immobilizes moisture within the pellets
through capillary action [30]. The absorption capacity of
different iron ore pellets with a bentonite content of 0.5wt%
is shown in Fig. 3. This figure illustrates that Essel ore pel-
lets had higher moisture absorption capacity (10.24%) than
Kirandul (9.02%) and Bacheli (8.97%) ore pellets. A similar
trend was observed for ores with a bentonite content of
1.0wt%. The change in moisture absorption capacity could
44
be attributed to variations in the chemical composition, in-
ternal porosity, and specific surface area of the ores. Ab-
ouzeid and Seddik [19] stated that the ore clay content has a
major role in moisture absorption. Even with increased
bentonite content, moisture absorption by Essel ore negligi-
bly varied, whereas that by Bacheli and Kirandul ores in-
creased. The change in the moisture absorption capacity of
the Bacheli and Kirandul ores could be attributed to their
low clay or clay mineral contents (Table 1). The increase in
moisture absorption, however, is solely dependent on the
bentonite content.
Fig. 3. Effect of bentonite binder on the moisture absorption
capacity of different iron ore pellets.
3.1.3. Effect of molasses binder addition on moisture ab-
sorption
The effects of molasses binder on the absorbed moisture
contents of different iron ore pellets are shown in Fig. 4.
Moisture absorption decreased with increasing molasses
content (2.0wt%–8.0wt%). Molasses decreased moisture
absorption by first penetrating into the pores of the iron ores
and spreading over the surfaces of iron ore particles. Fig. 4
shows that Kirandul (7.89%) and Bacheli (7.75%) pellets
had the lowest absorbed moisture content, OMC (8.24%)
and PTA (8.17%) pellets had high absorbed moisture con-
tent, and Essel pellets had the highest absorbed moisture
content. Absorbed moisture content tended to decrease as
molasses content increased. Bacheli pellets had the lowest
absorbed moisture content (6.14%), followed by Kirandul
pellets (6.28%). PTA (6.39%) and OMC (6.41%) pellets had
high absorbed moisture content. Essel pellets had the high-
est absorbed moisture content of 6.69%. The absorbed
moisture content of bentonite-added pellets was higher
than that of molasses-added pellets. Moisture absorption
decreased by 4.0% when molasses was used as a binder.
The reduction in moisture absorption through the addition
of molasses will reduce energy consumption during dry-
ing.
Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., Vol. 26, No. 1, Jan. 2019
Fig. 4. Effect of molasses binder on the absorbed moisture
content of different iron ore pellets.
3.2. Wet pellet drop number
3.2.1. Effect of different iron ores on wet pellet drop number
Wet pellet drop number (WPDN) was calculated by
dropping samples from certain height (i.e., 45 cm). Figs. 5
and 6 show that the WPDN of iron ore pellets increased
with increasing binder content. The WPDNs of Essel pellets
were higher than those of Bacheli and Kirandul pellets (Figs.
5 and 6). The high WPDN of Essel pellets could be attri-
buted to their high absorbed moisture content, which en-
hanced ore elasticity [31]. Therefore, Essel pellets were
more elastic than Bacheli and Kirandul pellets. The differ-
ences in elasticity could be attributed to variations in mois-
ture absorption capacity. OMC and PTA iron ore pellets
were more elastic than Bacheli and Kirandul pellets but
were less elastic than Essel pellets given their low moisture
content.
3.2.2. Effect of bentonite binder on WPDN
As illustrated in Fig. 5, Essel iron ore pellets without
binder addition had the highest WPDN, i.e., 3.7 and fol-
lowed by OMC, PTA, Kirandul, and Bacheli. Pellets pro-
duced with 0.5wt% and 1.0wt% bentonite were subjected to
the drop test. As shown in Fig. 5, the WPDNs of Essel,
OMC, and PTA pellets were 3.9, 3.4, and 3.3, respectively,
whereas those of Kirandul and Bacheli were both 3.2.
WPDNs further increased with the addition of 1.0wt% ben-
tonite, and those of Essel, OMC, and PTA pellets reached
5.8, 5.2, and 4.9, respectively, whereas those of Kirandul
and Bacheli were both 4.4. The increase in WPDN with in-
creasing bentonite addition could be attributed to increased
moisture absorption, as observed in Fig. 3. Bentonite is a
colloid with a high surface area. Hence, the addition of ben-
tonite increased the plasticity of wet pellets [32]. The
WPDNs of pellets prepared with 0.5wt% bentonite were
marginally below the industrial accepted limit, whereas
those of pellets prepared with 1.0wt% of bentonite were
within the accepted range.
A.B. Kotta et al., Effect of molasses binder on the physical and mechanical properties of iron ore pellets
Fig. 5. Effect of the addition of bentonite binder on the wet
pellet drop number of different iron ore pellets.
3.2.3. Effect of molasses binder on WPDN
The effect of molasses (2.0wt%–8.0wt%) addition on the
WPDNs of iron ore pellets is illustrated in Fig. 6, which
shows that WPDN increased with increasing molasses con-
tent. Iron ore pellets containing 2.0wt% molasses showed
low WPDNs of 5.5 to 7.11. WPDNs increased to the maxi-
mum value of 14.03 when the molasses content reached
8.0wt%. Molasses promoted the development of viscous
forces among particles, and the moisture content of mo-
lasses strengthened cohesive forces among particles. These
effects increased WPDN. The WPDNs of pellets prepared
with molasses exceeded industrially accepted limits and were
far higher than those of pellets prepared with bentonite.
Fig. 6. Effect of molasses binders on the wet pellet drop
number of different iron ore pellets.
3.3. Wet pellet compressive strength (WPCS)
3.3.1. Effect of different iron ores on wet pellet compressive
strength
The results of the wet pellet compressive test for different
iron ore pellets are presented in Figs. 7 and 8. These figures
show that Essel pellets had the highest WPCS, whereas Ba-
cheli and Kirandul pellets had the lowest. The different
WPCS values of different iron ore pellets could be attributed
to variations among the mineralogical compositions and
surface areas of the ores, as shown in Tables 1 and 2. High
45
clayey mineral content and surface area promote moisture
absorption. Moisture, in turn, promotes cohesive force de-
velopment and strengthens particle bonding. These effects
collectively increase WPCS. The WPCS values of OMC and
PTA pellets were higher than those of Bacheli and Kirandul
pellets but were lower than those of Essel pellets. This is due
to the relatively low content of clayey (Al2O3 and SiO2)
minerals. High surface areas and clay mineral contents increase
the mechanical strength and plasticity of wet pellets [31].
3.3.2. Effect of bentonite binder on WPCS
The WPCS values of different iron ore pellets prepared
with and without bentonite are presented in Fig. 7, which
shows that the WPCS values of pellets prepared without
binders ranged from 9.43 to 11.65 N/pellet. The WPCS val-
ues of all pellets increased with increasing bentonite addi-
tion. With the addition of 0.5wt% bentonite content, the
highest WPCS values were observed for Essel pellets (16.35
N/pellet) and the lowest were observed for Kirandul, i.e.,
11.89 N/pellet. These values further increased when the
bentonite content reached 1.0wt%. With the addition of
1.0wt% bentonite, the highest WPCS values were observed
for Essel pellets (21.26 N/pellet) and the lowest were ob-
served for Kirandul pellets (22.54 N/pellet). Differences in
strength values could be attributed to the variation in moisture
absorption capacity. When compressive load was applied to
wet pellets, moisture filled the gaps between pellet particles
and reached saturation. At the same time, the development
of capillary pressure increased resistance to plastic deforma-
tion. These effects collectively increased pellet strength.
Fig. 7. Effect of bentonite binder on the WPCS of different
iron ore pellets.
3.3.3. Effect of molasses binder on WPCS
Molasses was tested as an alternative binder to bentonite.
The effect of molasses addition on the WPCS values of dif-
ferent iron ores are shown in Fig. 8, which shows that the
WPCS values of pellets with a molasses content of 2.0wt%
ranged from 25.31 to 13.91 N/pellet. The WPCS of pellets
increased with increasing molasses content, and the highest
46 Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., Vol. 26, No. 1, Jan. 2019

WPCS values were obtained with the addition of 8.0wt% cause cohesive forces formed between particles. At the same
molasses (230–43 N/pellet). Essel pellets exhibited the time, the development of numerous viscous molasses layers
highest WPCS values (25.3–230 N/pellet), and Bacheli increased contact between particles and consequently in-
iron ore pellets exhibited the lowest WPCS values creased pellet strength.
(13.91–43.21 N/pellet) when the molasses content varied
from 2.0wt%–8.0wt%. The WPCS values of mo-
lasses-added iron ore pellets exceeded acceptable values and
were higher than those of bentonite-added pellets. The vari-
ation in the strength values of different iron ore pellets could
be attributed to variations in moisture absorption capacity.
When applied as a pellet binder, molasses formed a viscous
layer on the surfaces of iron ore particles. This viscous layer
helped reduce surface roughness and friction between par-
ticles while increasing contact area between particles. The
schematic of this mechanism is shown in Fig. 9. As the mo- Fig. 8. Effect of molasses binders on the WPCS of different
lasses content increased, the moisture content decreased be- iron ore pellets.

Fig. 9. Illustration of iron ore pellet formation with molasses binder: (a) hematite particles, and molasses interact; (b) molasses
deposits on undissolved particles are hydrated; (c) cohesive and viscous forces between particles develop completely; (d) moisture
evaporates and viscous bond formation and pellet strength increase during drying at 378 K.

3.4. Dry pellet compressive strength (DPCS)

3.4.1. Effect of different iron ores on the quality of dry pel-
lets
All wet pellets were dried at 378 K in a muffle furnace
and then subjected to the dry pellet compressive test. The
results are shown in Figs.10 and 11. These figures show that
the Bacheli and Kirandul pellets had the highest DPCS val-
ues, whereas the Essel pellets had the lowest. Moreover, the
DPCS values of OMC and PTA pellets were higher than
those of Essel pellets and were lower than those of Kirandul Fig. 10. Effect of bentonite binder on the DPCS of different
and Bacheli pellets. These results may be attributed to the iron ore pellets.
low clay mineral content of OMC and PTA pellets. High
moisture content increased the porosity of dried iron ore
pellets. High porosity, in turn, decreased DPCS.
3.4.2. Effect of bentonite binder on the quality of dry pellets
The DPCS values of different iron ore pellets prepared
without binders are shown in Fig. 10. Iron ore pellets with-
out binder addition had low DPCS values of 15.39–21.51
N/pellet. These values do not meet industrial standards.
Bentonite was added to increase the DPCS values of the
pellets. The effect of bentonite addition is shown in Fig. 11.
The DPCS values of the pellets produced with 0.5wt% ben- Fig. 11. Effect of molasses binder on the DPCS of different
tonite were 28.2, 36.3, 35.7, 41.3, and 42.9 N/pellet. The iron ore pellets.
A.B. Kotta et al., Effect of molasses binder on the physical and mechanical properties of iron ore pellets 47

addition of 1.0wt% bentonite further increased the DPCS
values of the pellets to 45.3, 60.7, 65.3, 85.3, and 81.7
N/pellet. Bentonite acts as a cementing agent that helps in-
crease bond strength and reduces gaps between particles af-
ter drying [30]. Pellets must have DPCS values of 22.4
N/pellet to meet industrial standards [26]. The DPCS values
of pellets prepared with 0.5wt% bentonite were marginally
higher than industrial requirements, whereas those of pellets
with 1.0wt% bentonite addition were within the accepted
range.
3.4.3. Effect of molasses addition on the quality of dry pel-
lets
The DPCS values of pellets prepared with 2.0wt%,
4.0wt%, 6.0wt%, or 8.0wt% molasses are shown in Fig. 11.
As shown in this figure, the DPCS values of the pellets in-
creased as the molasses content increased from 2.0wt% to
8.0wt%. The DPCS values of pellets modified with 2.0wt%
molasses were 25.69, 30.5, 32.7, 35.7, and 36.6 N/pellet and
those of pellets modified with 8.0wt% molasses increased to
222, 321, 279, 424, and 394 N/pellet. During drying, mois-
ture evaporated from molasses, and molasses turned into a
highly viscous fluid that increased the strength of the com-
pletely dried pellets. The DPCS values of molasses-added
pellets were 4–5 times higher than those of bentonite-added
pellets. These results indicate that the utilization of the mo-
lasses as a pellet binder will decrease the energy consumed
during pellet drying.
3.5. SEM
SEM micrographs were acquired for the analysis of pellet
microstructure and to understand the mechanism underlying
the increase in the compressive strength of molasses-added
pellets. The SEM micrographs of the pellets produced with
and without binders are shown in Fig. 12. As shown in Fig.
12(a), iron ore particles did not agglomerate in the pellets
prepared without a binder. In addition, superfine particles

Fig. 12. Typical microstructures present in Essel iron ore pellets prepared under different conditions: (a) without binder; (b) with
0.5wt% bentonite binder; (c) with 1.0wt% bentonite binder; (d) with 2.0wt% molasses binder; (e) with 4.0wt% molasses binder; (f)
with 6.0wt% molasses binder; (g) with 8.0wt% molasses binder. Macropores viewed under 500× magnification (h) and micropores
viewed under 5000× magnification (i).
48
appeared loose and were irregularly dispersed around the
surfaces of large particles. The micrographs of pellets pre-
pared with various amounts of bentonite are shown in Figs.
12(b) and 12(c). The microstructural features shown in Figs.
12(b) and 12(c) revealed that the addition of bentonite pro-
moted the close binding of fine particles. The micrographs
of molasses-added pellets are shown in Figs. 12(d)−12(g).
The crosslinking and binding of iron ore particles observed
in these images can be attributed to the addition of molasses,
which promoted agglomeration and binding among hyper-
fine particles. Figs. 12(h) and 12(i) show that macro- and
micropores were present between the particles of pellets
dried at 378 K. The pores are marked in the figures and ap-
pear as darkly colored regions.
3.6. Porosity
3.6.1. Effect of different iron ores on dry pellet porosity
The porosity values of different iron ore pellets produced
with different binders were determined and are shown in
Figs.13 and 14. These figures reveal that the porosity of all
pellets ranged from 27% to 34%. The typically allowed po-
rosity for dried pellets should be in the range of 31% to 36%.
Essel pellets showed the highest porosity values, whereas
the Bacheli and Kirandul pellets showed the lowest porosity
values. Pores formed because of moisture evaporation dur-
ing pellet drying.
Fig. 13. Effect of bentonite binder on the porosity of different
iron ore pellets.
3.6.2. Effect of bentonite binder on dry pellet porosity
The porosity values of dried iron ore pellets produced
with and without binders are shown in Fig. 13. The porosity
values of different iron ore pellets tended to decrease with
increasing iron ore grade. The porosity of iron ore pellets
increased when bentonite was used as a pellet binder, as
shown in Fig. 13. Porosity increased as the bentonite content
increased from 0.5wt% to 1.0wt%. The porosity of pellets
prepared with 0.5wt% bentonite was 34.02%, 32.81%,
32.32%, 31.33%, and 31.81%. The porosity of pellets in-
Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., Vol. 26, No. 1, Jan. 2019
creased to 34.46%, 33.25%, 32.76%, 31.77%, and 32.25%
with the addition of 1.0wt% bentonite. The change in poros-
ity values with increasing bentonite content may be ascribed
to increased moisture absorption.
3.6.3. Effect of molasses addition on dry pellet porosity
The effect of molasses on the porosity values of dried
pellets are shown in Fig. 14. The porosity values of dried
pellets decreased as the molasses content increased from
2.0wt% to 8.0wt%. The highest porosity values of 31.92%,
30.71%, 30.22%, 29.71%, and 29.33% were obtained with
the addition of 2.0wt% molasses. Porosity decreased as the
molasses content increased. The porosity values of 29.72%,
28.52%, 28.02%, 27.51%, and 27.03% were obtained with
the addition of 8.0wt% molasses. The decrease in porosity
may be attributed to the reduction in moisture absorption
and the penetration of molasses into the pores of the ores.
The porosity values of molasses-added pellets were 4%–5%
lower than those of bentonite-added pellets.
Fig. 14. Effect of molasses binder on the porosity of different
iron ore pellets.
3.7. Comparison of the results of the present study with
those of previous studies
The iron-making industry is ready to accept novel pellet
binders provided that these materials satisfy industrial re-
quirements. The properties of pellets prepared with molasses
were compared with those of pellets prepared with organic
binders. The results of the comparison are shown in Table 3.
The effects of organic binders on iron ore pelletization with
a magnetite concentrate had been studied. The WPDN,
WPCS, and DPCS of pellets prepared with carboxymethyl
starch (CMS) and carboxymethyl starch modified with na-
no-CaCO3 (CCMS) organic binders were superior to those
of pellets prepared with bentonite binder [3]. Fan et al. [18]
used three types of carboxymethyl celluloses (CMCD, CMCS,
and CMCT) as pellet binders (these binders are purchased
from different chemical agencies and they have been labelled
as iron dust and coal powder (CMCD), Shanghai Shan-Pu
A.B. Kotta et al., Effect of molasses binder on the physical and mechanical properties of iron ore pellets 49

(CMCS), and Tianjin Kermel (CMCT), respectively) and re-
ported that WPDN, WPCS, and DPCS increased as CMCD,
CMCS, and CMCT contents increased, as shown in Table 3.
Sivrikaya and Arol [12] compared the effects of bentonite,
calcined colemanite, and three organic binders on pellet prop-
erties. They reported that pellets prepared with calcined cole-
manite exhibited inadequate WPCS and DPCS. By contrast,
pellets prepared with combined calcined colemanite and or-
ganic binder demonstrated adequate WPCS and DPCS, as
shown in Table 3. Previous reports showed that organic bind-
ers improved the WPDN, WPCS, and DPCS of the modified
pellets but failed to control moisture absorption during pellet
formation. In fact, moisture absorption increased as the or-
ganic binder content increased.
Molasses was used as a binder in the preparation of differ-
ent hematite iron ores. The effects of molasses on the proper-
ties of iron ore pellets observed in the present study were
compared with those reported in the literature. The WPDN,
WPCS (230 N/pellet), and DPCS (390 N/pellet) of pellets
prepared with molasses were higher than those of pellets pre-
pared with organic binders. In addition, the use of molasses as
a binder decreased the absorbed moisture content by 4.0%.

Table 3. Physical properties of wet and dry pellets prepared with different binders
Binder name Dosage / wt% Moisture content / % WPDN WPCS / (N⋅Pellet−1) DPCS / (N⋅Pellet−1) Ref.
Without binder 0 7.05 0.8 10.1 5.1
Bentonite 1.00 7.63 1.2 11.7 49.1
Bentonite 2.00 8.23 5.0 19.1 127.3
Nano-CaCO3 1.00 7.17 1.3 12.6 23.5 [3]
Nano-CaCO3 2.00 7.23 1.4 12.8 28.2
CMS 0.50 9.17 5.7 13.6 144.7
CCMS 1.00 8.8 12.3 17.3 158.1
Without binder 0.00 10.3 1.1 9.3 ne
CMCD 0.10 10.38 1.3 9.1 ne
CMCS 0.10 10.25 3.1 11.3 ne
CMCT 0.10 10.33 4.7 12.5 ne [18]
CMCD 0.20 10.67 2.2 9.9 ne
CMCS 0.20 10.46 5.1 12.9 ne
CMCT 0.20 10.79 7.8 13.3 ne
Without binder 0.00 8.38 3.17 18.8 13.2
Bentonite-1 0.66 8.53 4.27 23.1 54.1
Bentonite-2 0.66 8.44 4.4 24.7 62.4
Calcined colemanite 0.66 8.52 3.21 18.7 18.6
Technical CMC 0.10 10.06 27.25 18.3 58.2
DPEP06-0007 polymer 0.10 8.78 10.53 22.5 33.1
[12]
Superfloc A150-LMW 0.10 9.43 18.88 21.5 44.2
Technical CMC + calcined
0.10 + 0.66 10.22 22.33 18.5 28.3
colemanite
DPEP06-0007 polymer +
0.10 + 0.66 9.44 15.53 22.0 24.8
calcined colemanite
Superfloc A150-LMW +
0.10 + 0.66 10.14 13.18 99.0 50.0
calcined colemanite
Note: "ne" means data not available

4. Conclusions the use of molasses binder will decrease energy consump-

(1) Iron ore pellets were successfully prepared with mo-
lasses as a binder. The absorbed moisture contents of mo-
lasses-added pellets were 4.0% lower than those of bento-
nite-added pellets. The reduction in moisture content with
tion during drying.
(2) The WPCS values of molasses-added pellets were
higher than those of bentonite-addedd pellets. This effect
can be attributed to the promotion of bonding among iron
ore particles by the molasses binder.
50
(3) The WPDNs values of the pellets produced without
binder and with 0.5wt% bentonite were below the indu-
strially accepted limit, whereas those of pellets produced
with 1.0wt% bentonite and 2.0wt%, 4.0wt%, 6.0wt%, or
8.0wt% molasses satisfied industrial requirements.
(4) The DPCS values of bentonite-added pellets were
lower than those of molasses-added pellets. Pellets prepared
without binders showed inferior strength.
(5) The porosity values of bentonite-added pellets were
slightly higher than those of pellets prepared without binder.
The addition of molasses reduced porosity because molasses
promoted bonding among particles.
(6) Microstructural studies revealed that macro and mi-
cropores were present in pellets produced with molasses.
SEM images illustrated that bonded particles randomly ac-
cumulated into aggregates.
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