Investigation on the Reducibility of Agbaja Iron Ore Lumps

Abstract

The investigation on the reducibility of Agbaja iron ore lumps were performed .The chemical compositions, morphology and structural analysis of the ore were examined. Various equipment such as Thermogravimetry (TG), Differential Thermal Analyzer (DTA), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Inverted Metallurgical Optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The reducibility experiments were performed where a muffle furnace was used as the heating device. The Agbaja iron ore lumps were taken inside six (6) stainless steel containers with diameter 60.75mm x 59.40mm inside diameter with mouths tightly closed by air tight covers having out let for exit gases. Metallurgical coking coal obtained from the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited was used as the reducing agent. The experiments were performed where the ore lumps were crushed to some sizes and heated in the furnace ranging from 800 ͦC to 1000 ͦC for heating periods with interval temperature was 40 ͦC. The temperature interval rate was put at 40 ͦC. The corresponding heating period was from 20 minutes to 120 minutes with interval time of 20 minutes .The highest corresponding values for each temperature and heating period was put in the following order. The heating temperature of 800 ͦC for 120 minutes had corresponding values of 21.3% of reduction, at 840 ͦC for 120 minutes heating period gave a corresponding value of 25.0% of reduction. The result obtained when the ore lump was heated at 880 ͦC for 120 minutes gave a corresponding value of 26.7% of reduction, at 920 ͦC for 120 minutes , the corresponding value was 27,1% of reduction. The other corresponding values when the ore samples were heated to 960 ͦC and 1000 ͦC for both 120 minutes gave 31.0% and 33.0% degree of reduction respectively. The reduced Agbaja iron ore lumps were further analyzed using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and obtained the results as indicated in this orders. The values of Fe content for Agbaja iron ore lump at 800 ͦC for 120minutes was 40.7wt%, at 920 ͦC for 120 minutes, the Fe content value was 60.2wt% and at 1000 ͦC for 120 minutes, the Fe content was 56.2wt%..These results showed that the Agbaja iron ore reduced more at 800 ͦC for 120 minutes (40.7wt %) followed by 1000 ͦC for 120 minutes (56.2wt %) and the least reduced heating period and time was when the iron ore samples was heated at 920 ͦC for 120 minutes (60.2wt %).