Applicability of the Teetered Bed Separator for Beneficiating Indian Iron Ore Fines: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Higher alumina and lower iron content in Indian iron ore fines is a major problem for its effective utilization in the ironmaking process. India is the second largest steel producer in the world with an annual production of 200 million tons in the year 2020, whereas iron ore beneficiation of this country is highly derisory. Only 52 concentrators are required to produce 220 MTPA of iron ore. Most of the concentrator's benefits are limited to sizing and washing. In recent years, the Teetered Bed Separator (TBS) has gained significant importance and appeared as a viable option for beneficiating a variety of fine minerals. So, a systematic study has been carried out to verify the suitability of the TBS to reduce the alumina content and improve the iron grade in Indian iron ore fines. As the performance of gravity separation processes strongly depends on the feed particle size, a size-by-size beneficiation study was carried out to delineate the role of particle size on the performance of the TBS. Based on this study, the TBS is established to be a possible alternative to the other conventional equipment used for the beneficiation of iron ore fines.