Integrating Core and Aeromagnetic Datasets to Evaluate Mineral Potential of Southern Nupe Basin, Nigeria

Aeromagnetic and core drilled data covering parts of southern Nupe Basin was acquired and interpreted with the view to evaluating the mineral potentials of the area through interpretation of the structural features in the area; determination of the curie isotherm depth; and correlation of aeromagnetic outcomes with the core sample data from the area. Two major regional fault trends were interpreted, trending, Northeast–Southwest (NE–SW) and NNE–SSW with minor northwest–southeast (NW–SE) directions. Two depth sources in the area are delineated namely; zone of shallow seated basement which ranges from 0.42km to 1.5km and zone of deeply seated basement which ranges from 1.91 to 3.50km.Results of qualitative interpretation of the Total magnetic intensity map (TMI) and Residual intensity map reveal that the magnetic intensities ranges from 7500 to 8460 nano-Telsa (nT) and -220 to 240 nT respectively. The depth to the centroid and top of the magnetic caustic bodies ranges from 9.00 to 17.10km and 0.4 to 3.10km respectively. Juxtaposing the topographical and core drilling data reveals that the oolitic iron ore level follows the topographical level which implies that the topography of the area controls the configuration of the iron ore deposit level. All these deduction are made considering the geology of the area.

Metallization of Oolitic Iron Ore after Oxidation Firing

Firing and metallization of brown iron ore from the Ayat deposit were investigated in present research. In order to remove carbon dioxide, carbonates, hydrated moisture and sulfur from the ore and convert goethite to hematite the oxidation firing was carried out in a Nabertherm muffle furnace at temperature of 900 ° C for 10 minutes. The effect of reduction of temperature was studied, by CO gas at 800, 900, 1000, 1050 ° C, for 3hours reduction time. The chemical composition of the initial and fired ore, as well as magnetic and non-magnetic parts of the reduced samples were studied by using an electron microscope. It was observed that at temperature of 800 ° C iron and phosphorus were not reduced. The metallized material with a low phosphorus content (0.1at%) was obtained at temperature of 1050 ° C.

Reaction Characteristics and Existing Form of Phosphorus during Coal-Based Reduction of Oolitic Iron Ore

It is particularly significant to investigate the reduction behavior and existing form of phosphorus in metal and slag phase during coal-based reduction for the efficient development and utilization of high-phosphorus oolitic hematite. The reduction behavior of phosphorus minerals and their existing form in the metal and slag phase during the coal-based reduction of high phosphorus oolitic hematite were systematically investigated using HSC software simulation, thermodynamic calculation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The results show that after Fe2O3 was reduced to metal iron, the reduction of apatite was promoted by providing the most inclined enrichment site of phosphorus (metallographic phase). Phosphorus existed mainly in two forms in the metal phase—one was in the form of Fe3P compound at the boundary of the metal phase, and the other was in the form of solid solution in the metal iron. There were two forms of phosphorus in the slag phase—one was incompletely reacted apatite, and the other was formed as CaO–SiO2–P2O5 solid solution. In the early stage of coal-based reduction, phosphorus in the slag phase mainly existed in the form of apatite, while in the later stage, it mainly existed in the form of CaO–SiO2–P2O5 solid solution.

Recovery of iron and phosphorus removal from Gara Djebilet iron ore (Algeria)

Purpose. This research aims to promote the assay of iron and reduce the phosphorus grade of the final DRI. Methodology. A high-phosphorus oolitic iron ore from Gara Djebilet deposit underwent the procedure of coal-based direct reduction (coal-based DR) followed by wet low-intensity magnetic separation (WLIMS). The effects of temperature, periods of time and Na2SO4 dosage on phosphorus removal, metallisation degree and iron recovery rate were tried and optimised. Furthermore, phase changes in iron oxides and the distributing features of phosphorus in both reduced and magnetic materials were investigated as well. Findings. The appropriate addition of sodium sulfate improves the Fe-P separation during the coal-based DR of Gara Djebilet mixed pellets. Originality. Using additives of CaO and sodium sulfate during the coal-based DR-magnetic separation of mixed pellets sourced from Gara Djebilet deposit. Practical value. The results reveal that a final direct reduced powder (DRI) assaying 96 wt% Fe and 0.16 wt% P at a recovery rate of 97.72% was obtained when the ore-coal-CaO mixed pellets were reduced in the presence of 5 wt% Na2SO4 at 1250 C for 30 min. Thus, the coal-based DR could be used as an alternative to the blast furnace (BF) route in the steelmaking industry from refractory iron ores.