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NMDC is setting up a 0.36-million-tonnes (mt) a year mini-beneficiation plant at a cost of Rs 150 crore to process low-grade iron ores.
According to the Union Ministry of Steel, NMDC has already done laboratory and pilot tests to beneficiate two specific low iron content ores – BHJ and BHQ — available in its Donimalai mines in Karnataka.
Chhattisgarh facility planned
Dwindling of high grade ores has forced Indian iron ore miners to use low grade ores containing 30-40 per cent Fe and high impurities such as alumina and silica.
Based on the optimum process flow sheet developed at its R&D centre, NMDC was setting up the plant, one of the first plants of its kind in the country, said a Ministry report. Based on the experience at Donimalai, NMDC has also proposed to set up similar facility at Bailadila in Chhattisgarh.
Tata Steel has already initiated lab scale work, particularly to address lower varieties of BHJ/BHQ containing 40-45 per cent Fe.
“They are going in for a bench scale facility soon,” the Ministry noted.
JSW Steel has recently set up a full-fledged laboratory to scale iron ore beneficiation facilities. Based on the lab scale results, the company is in the process of setting up a pilot scale plant.
The Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology at Bhubaneswar is researching utilisation of tailings, waste generated by the available beneficiation technology, for building materials, ceramics, foamy bricks, water treatments and high value chemicals.
jayanta_mallick@thehindu.co.in
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