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SELECTION OF IRON ORES FOR THE specially on those of the iron ores. In most cases iron
SINTERING PROCESS ores are purchased from several sources and
delivered according to their chemical composition and
AN INTEGRATED VIEW particle size distribution. In spite of that, raw mixes
1) with similar chemical composition and particle size
Arthur Napoleão distribution can present different sintering
2)
Paulo Pinheiro performance, showing that besides these two
1)
Lafayette Caporali characteristics, the iron ore mineralogy is also
1)
Dauter Luis A. Oliveira important
(1,2,3)
. Since the understanding of the impact
1)
Linda Fujikawa of the ore characteristics on sintering performance
3)
Raphaël Vervenne has been a key point for selecting the most adequate
1) ore mix for each operational practice, consumers and
Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, CVRD, suppliers have made great efforts in order to improve
Brazil. such understanding and have developed different
2) approaches to select iron ores for sintering. This
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, UFMG, paper presents some relevant aspects of this
Brazil. complex issue, showing the approach used by
3) Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD).
Consultant,
Belgium. 2. SINTERING PERFORMANCE X IRON ORE
CHARACTERISTICS
SUMMARY
CVRD owns very large volume and variety of iron
Sinter is by far the main iron ore product utilized as ores and therefore keeps permanent interest in
blast furnace burden in most parts of the world. Its finding the characteristics which most impact each
quality became therefore the most important in terms sintering performance index. CVRD research has
of blast furnace performance. It is well known that been based on sintering pot tests complemented by
sintering performance is in great extent due to some joint work and discussions with consumers, in order
iron ore characteristics, besides chemical analysis to check the relationship between pot test results and
and particle size distribution. Therefore, iron ore industrial experience. By analysis and tests of a large
suppliers and consumers have undertaken many variety of iron ore types it was realized that iron ore
studies aiming at relating those characteristics to the crystal size is a basic characteristic, to which other
sintering performance and sinter quality. This paper ore characteristics and the sintering performance of
describes and discusses the approach of one (4)
the ore mix can be related . Ore crystal size became
supplier to evaluate and select the adequate iron therefore the basis of CVRD´s approach. This will be
ores for a given sintering practice. shown in this paper based on a study carried out in
an experimental pot, using some of the most
1. INTRODUCTION consumed sinter feeds in the transoceanic market.
They are all coarse feeds (more than 55 % above 1
Productivity, fuel consumption, sinter strength, mm) and their chemical composition and
disintegration (RDI, LTD) and reducibility are the mineralogical characteristics are presented in Table
most used indices to evaluate and control sintering 1.
performance. However, the degree of importance of
each index can vary from plant to plant or from time The last column shows their mean crystal size. Five
to time, which leads to different sintering practices. of them have particles with mean crystal size smaller
than 50 µm and one about 85 µm.
Besides the operational parameters, sintering
performance depends on raw material characteristics,

Table 1 – Iron ore characteristics.

Ore Chemical analysis (mass%) Ferrous minerals (volume %)

Mean crystal
Goethite size (
m)
Fet SiO2 Al2O 3 LOI Hematite Magnetite
Limonite

1 67,5 0,69 0,83 1,30 87 10 3 31

2 66,2 3,60 0,66 0,70 96 3 1 85
3 58,5 4,78 1,20 10,30 26 73 1 15
4 57,7 5,08 2,57 9,35 33 66 1 11
5 63,4 3,21 1,94 2,95 79 20 1 49
6 63,1 4,51 2,55 2,57 85 14 1 36
 2/6

Microstructure of these ores are shown in Table 2 by the mass of sinter in terms of mass of sintering mix
SEM (scanning electron microscopy) pictures. (or volume x density) and yield , as follows:

Table 2 – SEM pictures of the ores. P = (d
y
V)/A
t (1) or P = d
y
h/t (2)

Mean crystal SEM pictures, particles size or P = d
y
v (3), where

Ore
size (
m) 37 to 74 µm, 1000 X
d : bed bulk density;
V : volume of the total sintering mixture;
11 4 y : sinter mass yield (sinter cake/total mix)
(sinter
product/sinter cake);
h : bed height;
t : sintering time;
15 3 v : sintering velocity.

From expression (3) it can be seen that productivity is

a product of bed bulk density, sinter yield and
31 1 sintering velocity and therefore more useful
information can be obtained by examining through
these three factors the productivity obtained. The
relation of productivity with its components, ordered
36 6
by bed bulk density increase, is presented in
Figure 1.

43
49 5
Productivity (t/m 2.day)

41
39
37
35
33
85 2 31
29
27
2,9
Each ore was at first sintered alone and then in 26
Velocity (cm/min)

2,7
binary iron ore mixes at the level of 30 % and 70 %, 2,5
so that the mean crystal size of the 32 sintering ore 2,3
mixes varied between 11 µm and 85 µm; the LOI
2,1
between 0,70 % and 10,30 % and alumina between 1,9
0,66 % and 2,57 %. The targeted sinter chemical
60
composition was: Fe = 57,5 %, SiO2 = 5,40 %, MgO =
58
1,40 % and CaO/SiO2 = 1,90. Quartzite was used to
Yield (%)

equalize silica content. Therefore the main difference 56

among the sintering mixes was the iron ore 54

characteristics of each one. The pot tests were 52

performed with bed height 500 mm, suction 1500
Bulk density (t/m3)

2
WG, with return fines equilibrium. The influence of the 1,9
ore characteristics was evaluated on productivity, 1,8
coke breeze consumption, sinter tumble strength 1,7
(ISO 3271), RDI (ISO 4696-2) and reducibility (ISO 1,6
7215). Only the characteristics that most impact each 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31
index will be shown in this paper. Besides the pot Sintering experiments

tests, laboratory heating tests on individual samples
of each iron ore were also undertaken, in order to
estimate the generation of ultra-fines during the
sintering process.
2.a Productivity
Sintering productivity (P) is usually expressed as
mass of sinter produced (m) per time (t), per grate
area (A): P = m/A
t . Useful information for process
Figure 1 – Sintering productivity decomposition.
Bulk density. As shown in Figure 2, bed bulk density
tended to increase when the crystal size of the ore
mixes increased. Being the 32 sinters produced with
coarse sinter feeds, the higher density of the sintering
bed was attributed not to different particle size
distribution but to the higher density of the ore mix
particles, which increases with the crystal size
increase .
(4)

control and ore selection can be obtained by rewriting

 3/6

On the other hand it can be seen that some ore compaction would be increased to improve it. This
mixes with crystal size smaller than 40
m presented would change sintering velocity and therefore,
a bulk density higher than others with similar crystal productivity.
size. It happened due the participation in these mixes
2,8
of the ore nr. 1 (Table 1) which has high iron content

Sintering velocity (cm/min)

2,7
(and so high density) besides a small crystal size. 2,6
Ores with high iron content in this crystal size range 2,5
has been an exception. 2,4
2,3
2
2,2
1,95 2,1
Bulk density (t/m3)

2
1,9
1,9
1,85 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
2
R = 0,7946 Mean crystal size ( µ m)
1,8
Figure 4 – Sintering velocity versus mean crystal size
1,75
of the ore blends.
1,7
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 On the other hand examining the mixes composed of
Mean crystal size (µ m)
ores with crystal size smaller than 30
m that
Figure 2 – Sintering mix bulk density versus mean presented unexpected low sintering velocity (Figure
crystal size of the ore blends. 4, bold points) it was verified that they had in
common a high proportion of one of the ores with
Sinter yield. As shown in Figure 3, the lower the mass higher LOI and alumina and so this behavior was
loss of the mix during sintering the higher was the attributed, at least in part, to different thermal
sinter yield. disintegration of the ores during sintering.

Mass loss during sintering can be due to the LOI of This disintegration was confirmed by the laboratory
the ore blend and fluxes, combustion of solid fuel and heating tests where each individual iron ore was
evaporation of the mix moisture. However, the reason heated up to 1000 ºC, cooled and than screened to
for the main influence in these experiments was the evaluate the ultra-fines (- 0,15 mm) generated. The
ore LOI. results are presented in Figure 5 where it is shown
that iron ores with close mean crystal size can
On the other hand this can also be related to the ore present distinct behavior regarding disintegration
crystal size, since ores with bigger crystal size during heating. The iron ores of high LOI content
(2,3,4)
present lower LOI . These ores are therefore presented the highest fines generation, but ores with
recommended to improve sinter yield. similar crystal sizes can also present different thermal
58,5
behavior, as seen in Figure 4.
58 25
(% - 0,15 mm generated) and (Ore LOI, %)

57,5
Sinter mass yield (%)

57 R2 = 0,8482 Fines generation

56,5 20

56
55,5 15
55 LOI
54,5
10
54
53,5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 5
Ore blend LOI (%)

Figure 3 – Sinter yield versus LOI of the ore blends. 0

11 15 31 36 49 85
Mean crystal size (mm)
Sintering velocity. As shown in Figure 4, sintering
velocity tended to be reduced with ore blends when Figure 5 – Disintegration during heating versus mean
crystal size was bigger than 60
m. crystal size of the ores.

It should be observed that the focus of the study was The importance of the thermal behavior of the iron
to find trends of the sintering performance with ore ore on sintering velocity and productivity can be
characteristics variation. As bed height variation was illustrated by an industrial case which occurred in a
not adopted in the pot tests, the values thus obtained steel mill.
for productivity cannot be considered as “final
values”, if compared to the industrial practice. Sinters At this plant a variation of the sinter plant production
produced with higher sintering velocity can present was observed during a certain period, despite the fact
lower strength and in practice bed height or that all working parameters and chemical and
 4/6

physical characteristics of the raw materials in use

72
were being kept constant. The sinter output dropped
70
from 500 t/h to 440 t/h, a fall of 12 % in terms of

Coke rate (kg/t sinter)

productivity. A detailed comparison between the two 68
R2 = 0,8316
extremes points of productivity showed that all iron 66
ores were coming from the same delivery, except for 64
one of them. When comparing the two deliveries of 62
this ore, only small differences in composition were
60
observed. By visual inspection at the mine, in
collaboration with the iron ore producers, it was 58
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
observed that a concentration of refractory iron ore Ore blend LOI (% )
was mixed in the deliveries consumed in the two
homogenization beds corresponding to the lowest Figure 7 – Coke rate versus ore blend LOI.
sinter output. This refractory iron ore formation was
crossing as an intrusion from the top to the bottom of 2.c Sinter cold strength
the deposit as a compact glittering mass, due to
thermal influence after the deposition of the ore. By Examining the characteristics that most affected the
consuming the iron ore containing a lot of this sinter strength, it was verified that alumina content of
glittering material, the produced sinter cooled slower, the ore blend was the one of biggest impact. As
causing a lower productivity. This problem was shown in Figure 8, higher alumina led to lower sinter
solved afterwards due to the good collaboration with strength. Besides that, sinter strength also tended to
the iron ore producers, by avoiding a concentration of increase when sintering velocity decreased, as
this refractory iron ore and by mixing it in a regular expected.
proportion at the mine. ISO Tumble test (% > 6,3mm) 76
75
2.b Fuel rate 74
R2 = 0,726
73
The influence of the iron ore on the fuel rate can be 72

better evaluated by decomposing this index in its 71

factors of influence. Sintering fuel rate (FR) is 70

69
expressed as mass of solid fuel (f) consumed to
68
produce 1 t (mass m) of sinter: FR = f/m.
67
0,8 1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2 2,4 2,6
As shown before, mass m of sinter can be rewritten in Ore blend Al2O3 content (%)
terms of mass of sintering mix and sinter yield, i.e.,
Figure 8 – Sinter tumble strength versus alumina
m = M
y = d
V
y, and so FR = f/d
V
y (4), content of the ore blend.
where
2.d Sinter disintegration at low temperatures
(RDI)
M: mass of the total sintering mix;
V, d and y: as defined before (2a).
The degradation of the ore in RDI test can be caused
5,6)
by thermal, reduction and mechanical processes( .
According to expression (4), for a same or very low
The RDI of a sinter can be affected by the quality of
variation of f, the highest the values of d, V and y, the
the original nucleus particles of the ores which
lowest is FR. Figures 6 and 7 present the coke rate
reacted only partially and by the microstructure of the
obtained in the experiments and its relationship with (5-7)
sinter matrix bond .
d and LOI (LOI varies in inverse proportion to y,
Figure 3). As expected, coke rate tended to
In these experiments sinter produced with compact
decrease with increasing bed bulk density and to
iron ores (less reactive) as well as with low alumina
increase with increasing ore blend LOI.
presented the lowest RDI values. Compact ores have
70 bigger crystal size and very low alumina while porous
ores can have low, medium or high alumina
Coke rate (kg/t sinter)

68
R2 = 0,6843 (4)
content . In the comparison to find which of these
66
characteristics (ore blend crystal size x alumina
64 content) presented the highest relationship with sinter
RDI, it was found that alumina content was the one of
62
biggest impact. The alumina effect is shown in Figure
60 9. The mechanism on how alumina deteriorates the
(5-8)
58 sinter RDI is thoroughly discussed in the literature .
1,7 1,75 1,8 1,85 1,9 1,95 2
Bed bulk density (t/m3)

Figure 6 – Coke rate versus bed bulk density.

 5/6

45
It can be seen that, as the crystal size increases the
R2 = 0,8866 LOI and alumina content tend to decrease so that
from 60 µm on ores present lower LOI and alumina.
ISO RDI (% < 2,8mm)

40

35
4. CONCLUSIONS
30
Iron ore blends with similar particle size distribution
25 and sinter chemical composition can present different
sintering performances. Mineralogy and thermal
20
behavior of the iron ores are helpful to explain such
0,8 1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2 2,4 2,6
Ore blend Al2O3 content (%)
differences.

Figure 9 – Sinter RDI versus alumina content of the The results of pot tests with six among the most
ore blends. consumed sinter feeds in the transoceanic market
were used to present CVRD´s approach to select iron
2.e Sinter reducibility ores for sintering, which relates sintering performance
with iron ore characteristics. Thermal tests on
No significant relationship was obtained between the individual ore samples were also conducted to help to
measured characteristics of these ore blends and explain different behaviors of ores with similar
sinter reducibility although the blends with bigger ore characteristics.
crystal sizes presented a slight negative trend.
From the iron ore characteristics, crystal size, LOI
3. LOI AND ALUMINA VERSUS CRYSTAL SIZE and alumina were the ones that most impacted
sintering performance indices.
In terms of ore characteristics it was shown that
crystal size, LOI and alumina were the ones that most Sintering productivity was analysed through its three
impacted the sintering performance and sinter quality. factors of influence, since it is a product of bed bulk
However crystal size has been considered the basis density
sinter yield
sintering velocity values.
of CVRD´s approach because (due to the ore genesis
process) LOI and alumina can be related to it. This The higher the ore blend crystal size the higher the
was found by the analysis of 27 iron ore fines for bed bulk density and the lower the sintering velocity.
sintering which represent more than 90 % of the ore The higher the ore refractoriness or disintegration
(4)
types traded in the transoceanic market . The results during heating the lower the sintering velocity. The
crystal size versus LOI and crystal size versus lower the ore blend LOI the higher the sinter yield.
alumina obtained in this analysis are presented in
Figure 10. Sintering fuel rate decreased with diminution of ore
blend LOI and increase of bed bulk density.
12

10 Sinter cold strength was improved by diminution of

alumina content.
8
% LOI

6 Sinter RDI improved with diminution of ore alumina

4 content.
2
No significant relationship was obtained between the
0
measured characteristics of these ore blends and
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175
Mean crystal size ( µ m)
sinter reducibility although the blends with bigger ore
crystal sizes presented a slight negative trend.
3,0
2,5
In general, the bigger the ore crystal size, the lower
its LOI and its alumina. This is why the iron ore
2,0
crystal size has been the basis of CVRD´s approach
% Al2O3

1,5 to select iron ore for sintering.

1,0
0,5
The approach presented in this paper is not
considered as finished, as CVRD is continuously
0,0
performing research and working with its clients to
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175
Mean crystal size ( µ m)
improve it.

Figure 10 – Relation between the content of LOI and 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

alumina in the ores and their crystal size.
The authors are grateful to Dr Eduardo da Costa and
Mr Sergio Espeschit for their support.
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3. NAPOLEÃO, A. et al. "Iron ore research emphasis

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4. NAPOLEÃO, A. et al. "Taking advantage of the

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7. ISHIKAWA, Y. et al. "Improvement of sinter quality

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