Influence of Hyper Activated Bentonite in the Pelletisation of Iron Ore 67

Influence of Hyper-Activated Bentonite in the

Pelletisation of Iron Ore
B. Suresh, K.T. Sharana Gouda, U.S.Yadav,
C.S. Gururaj Prasad and D.L. Saralaya
JSW Steel Ltd., Vijayanagar Works, Bellary, Karnataka

ABSTRACT: Bentonite is the most widely used binder in pelletisation of iron ore. It imparts binding and
other green ball properties without affecting its metallurgical behavior. Bentonite is costly and introduces
certain gangue contents making it liable to inferior reduction and melting performance. Attempts have been
made to decrease the consumptions of bentonite. Hyper activation is one such attempt. It is an ion-exchange
reaction when naturally occurring bentonite is activated by sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide solution is
added before pelletising mixer on bentonite, which helps in its activation. It leads to decrease in the
consumption of bentonite due to increase of free swelling index by activation. Reduction in bentonite reduces
the production cost and gangue content in product. Laboratory experiments were carried out at different
levels of bentonite and NaOH additions. Present paper discusses laboratory and plant scale trial carried out at
JSW Steel pellet plant and projects for plant scale use on regular basis.

1. INTRODUCTION activation of bentonite with NaOH at JSW Steel is

Bentonite is the widely used binder in the
palletizing of iron ore. It imparts desired
properties to the green pellets without
deteriorating their metallurgical behavior.
Bentonite consists primarily of montmorilonite
clay and acts by absorbing water and filling the
voids within the pellet matrix with a viscous gel.
Bentonite is known in two different types, sodium
bentonite and calcium bentonite. The sodium
bentonite has the greater water absorption
properties and is preferred as a binder for
palletizing. The bentonite is costly and introduces
acid gangue, which affects properties of pellets.
Attempts have been made to decrease the
consumptions of bentonite. Hyper activation is
one such attempt. When bentonite is activated by
sodium hydroxide in an ion-exchange reaction,
calcium cations are replaced by sodium cations.
Hyper activation by sodium hydroxide reduces
the consumption of bentonite. Thus the cost of
pellet reduces. Additionally, the pellet property
also improves. The results obtained on the
presented in the paper.
2. LABORATORY STUDY
Experiments were conducted on laboratory
balling disc by varying the bentonite and NaOH
as shown in Table 1. The following experimental
conditions were maintained: diameter of balling
disc: 36 inches, inclination of disc: 43°, disc rpm:
26, baling time: 20 minutes and the moisture:
8.5 percent.
3. RESULTS
The experiments carried out with NaOH treated
bentonite yielded green pellets of noticeable
smooth surface and narrow size distribution. The
balls obtained from the each experiment were
subjected to (i) green ball size distribution,
(ii) Green ball Crushing Strength (GCS) and
(iii) Drop number measurements. The results
obtained from laboratory balling disc are depicted
in Figs. 1 to Fig. 5.
68  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
Table 1: The NaOH doses in balling

Bentonite NaOH wrt Total feed,

Expt. No.
wrt feed, % bentonite,% kg

1 0.63 0.28 15.398

2 0.63 0.37 15.398
3 0.63 0.46 15.398
4 0.68 0.26 15.405
5 0.68 0.34 15.405
6 0.68 0.43 15.405
7 0.73 0.24 15.413
8 0.73 0.32 15.413
9 0.73 0.40 15.413
10 0.63 0.00 15.398
11 0.68 0.00 15.405
12 0.73 0.00 15.413
13 0.63 0.51 15.398
14 0.68 0.57 15.405

25
20
+12.5 mm,%

15
10
5
0
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60
NaOH,%

Fig. 1: Variation in GCS with NaOH

95

90
+8 mm,%

85

80

75
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60
NaOH,%

Fig. 2: Influence of NaOH on +8 mm

size of ball
Influence of Hyper Activated Bentonite in the Pelletisation of Iron Ore 69
NaOH the Na2O content in pellet will increase was
5 not confirmed. Although the CCS was on lower side
4 i.e 237 kg/pellet, the reducibility, degree of reduction
and RDI of pellet improved.
-8 mm,%

3
2
1 20
0
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 15
NaOH,% 10

Drop No.
5
Fig. 3: Influence of NaOH on -8 mm size of
ball 0
0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60
4. PLANT TRIALS
NaOH, %
The commercial grade NaOH flakes was
diluted with water in 50:50 proportions.
During 5 hours of plant trial, about 50 litres of Fig. 4: Influence of NaOH on Drop No. of pellet
NaOH was added directly to the mixed ore
slurry tank. During 5 hours of plant trial, first
two hours the dosage of NaOH was 2
maintained at 100ml/min and the next three
hours the dosage was increased to 130 ml/min 1.5
as the spalling was observed in the discharge.
The balling properties were monitored during 1
GCS

5 hours of plant trial. The samples from each

disc were collected before and during NaOH 0.5
addition and after stoppage of NaOH addition.
The green balls of the individual disc were 0
studied for size, drop number and GCS. The 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60
results obtained are depicted in Fig. 6 to Fig. 8.
It is observed that with the hyper activation of NaOH, %
bentonite with NaOH at lower bentonite
consumption level the mean size of the green
balls are comparable to higher (0.8%) Fig. 5: Influence of NaOH on CGS of pellet
bentonite addition. It indicates that, NaOH
influences the mean size of the green balls.The 25
NaOH influences the drop number and GCS.
Spalling was observed at 0.6% bentonite with 20 R2 = 0.5112

100ml/min NaOH addition. Hence, the

Drop Nos.

15
addition of NaOH increased to 130ml/min.
R2 = 0.8918
After increasing the dosage of NaOH, spalling 10 R2 = 0.9453

was decreased and only a little chips were 5 Drop No( 0 %NaOH) Drop No.(0.1%NaOH)

observed. The recirculation load decreases Drop No.(0.2 %NaOH)

Poly. (Drop No.(0.1%NaOH))
Poly. (Drop No.(0.2 %NaOH))
Poly. (Drop No( 0 %NaOH))

with activation of bentonite. The induration 0

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
parameters were smooth.The bentonite Be ntonite, %

consumption decreased up to 3-4 kg/ton of

pellet. The Al2O3 and SiO2 in pellet decreased Fig. 6: Variation in Drop No. with NaOH
by 0.17% and 0.50% respectively with uses of
bentonite. The general believe that with uses of
70  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)

10 2
1.8 R2 = 0.8907
R2 = 0.7802
8 R2 = 0.7781 1.6
1.4
6 R2 = 0.2662 1.2
DCS

GCS
1
4 0.8
R2 = 0.4787 0.6 R2 = 0.98
2 DCS( 0 %NaOH) DCS.(0.1%NaOH) 0.4 GCS( 0 %NaOH) GCS.(0.1%NaOH)
DCS.(0.2 %NaOH) Poly. (DCS.(0.2 %NaOH))
GCS.(0.2 %NaOH) Poly. (GCS.(0.2 %NaOH))
Poly. (DCS.(0.1%NaOH)) Poly. (DCS( 0 %NaOH)) 0.2
Poly. (GCS.(0.1%NaOH)) Poly. (GCS( 0 %NaOH))
0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Bentonite, % Bentonite, %
Fig. 7: Variation in DCS with NaOH
Fig. 8: Variation in GCS with NaOH

5. CONCLUSIONS

• The hyper-activation of bentonite with NaOH

decrease 30-50% bentonite consumption in iron
ore palletizing process.
• The hyper activation og bentonite by NaOH
bring in significant advantages including cost
reduction, quality improvement and higher
production of pellet.