Manufacture of self-reducing manganese pellets

Abstract

The work involves the manufacture, characterization and reduction of self-reducing pellets of manganese ore, using an alternative binder which permits the cure of the pellet in cold state. Initially the binder to be used is an industrial residue with no technological application, which constitutes an environmental problem for its producer. This residue is the dust from the dedusting system of electric reduction kilns which contains compounds which, on reacting in the presence of water, permit the formation of solid hydrated compounds which serve as a binding element between the crystals of ore and reducer, creating a pellet resistant to cold and hot management. The intention now is to synthesize the binder, so as to offer the same binding features as the dust from the dedusting. This artificial production will be based on identification of the mechanisms which cause the cold binding. In this phase the behavior of the pellet will be studied, with variations in the proportions of CaO and Si02 and K2O of the same (tricalcic, pozzolanic and crystallized bonds). These variations will be obtained through the appropriate mixture of binder, Portland cement, aluminum cement, microsilica and activated ash, among others. 50 ton lots will be produced, reduced in electric kilns and rotating kilns for the production of manganese monoxide and high-carbon ferro manganese. With this, an analytical study of the reduction mechanism will be carried out which, comparing with previous results, could considerably alter the understanding of the process. These results will permit the complete modification of the manufacturing processes of manganese and ferrous monoxide, manganese- based alloys, with a conservatively estimated reduction in cost of manufacture of up to 35 per cent. (AU)