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Production of an iron concentrate by caustic digestion of power-plant fly ash

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6805943

The objective of this work was to determine how the magnetic fraction of coal fly ash could be used as an iron ore. To do this, three areas were examined: the characteristics of fly ash, the iron and steel industry, and the processing and specifications for iron ores currently in use. Methods of beneficiating the iron-rich fraction for use with conventional ironmaking technology were considered as well as the potential for producing an iron product without pretreatment. Experimental work in this study included evaluation of the effectiveness of potential physical and chemical beneficiation techniques. Some of the conclusions are: (1) magnetic fly ash can be used as an iron ore without beneficiation of any sort; (2) processing required to properly beneficiate magnetic fly ash includes upgrading both the physical and chemical properties of the ash; (3) minor components in the magnetic ash such as copper, zinc, lead and others which are detrimental in steelmaking do not appear to be a major factor in the use of magnetic fly ash as an iron ore; (4) commercial beneficiation technique use for iron ore are not applicable for treating magnetic fly ash; (5) high-grade iron concentrate can be produced by leaching magnetic fly ash in a concentrated sodium hydroxide solution; (6) caustic strength has the greatest effect of the operating variables tested on the removal of silica and alumina; (7) another important variable is solid-liquid ratio; (8) sodium aluminosilicate precipitate formed is acid soluble; (9) temperatures of 150, 200 and 250/sup 0/C were found to have little effect on the total removal of gangue; (10) extraction time was also found to have little effect on the removal of silica and alumina; (11) economics of caustic extraction as a beneficiation process are poor. 28 figures, 28 tables.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., IA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-82
OSTI ID:
6805943
Report Number(s):
IS-T-999; ON: DE83004961
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English