National Mineral Resources University—University of Mines, Saint-Petersburg, Russia:

T. I. Yushina, Acting Deputy Head of Mineral Processing Department, Assistant Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, yuti62@mail.ru
I. O. Krylov, Assistant Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
V. S. Valavin, Director of Romelt Science and Education Center, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
V. N. Dunaeva, Assistant Professor

Iron ores, which require beneficiation, currently supply 89% commercial production in Russia. The iron content of all commercial-type ores is 16–72%. Given the actual-to-date practice of ore quality assessment, such ores can be classified as low-grade (25% Fe) and rebellious ore requiring complex methods of dressing to produce a marketable concentrate. In connection with this, it is assumed unfavorable to mine such ore deposits located in the areas lacking developed industrial infrastructure as, for instance, some magnetite ore bodies within the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly and others. The article presents data on basic minerals, average content of iron and rock components of lowgrade, rebellious and natural alloyed iron ore deposits in the Eastern Siberia and Kerch Iron Ore Basin: Nizhne-Angarskoe, Ishimbinskoe, Udorongovskoe, Oktyabrskoe and other deposits. The development of the above mentioned iron ore deposits is problematic because they are either rebellious at iron content of more than 40%, or are inaccessible and far from major transportational routes while being high-grade, or fail to produce standard quality concentrate since huge reserves of such ore feature low content of iron, etc. In this connection, conventional circuit of mining, on-site dressing and delivery to an integrated iron-and-steel works makes mining unprofitable. A way out could be ROMELT technology. Metallurgical treatment in this case needs no complex pretreatment of ore having iron content of 45–50% and below. ROMELT technology eliminates agglomeration stage. Natural alloyed ore is usable. Fuel is natural coal instead of costly coke. Capital investment in construction is much lower in this case as compared with the known analogs in the metallurgy industry. Construction is also feasible in permafrost zone as furnaces and service equipment are installed on pile structures and need no heavy foundations. The advantage of cast iron manufactured by ROMELT process is the low content of Si and Mn, which facilitates its conversion to steel.
The study was carried out under financial support from the RF Ministry of Education and Science within the framework of the federal targeted program on R&D in Priority Areas of Advancement of the Russian Science and Technology for 2014–2020. Unique Project Identifier RFMEFI57814X0049).
The authors are grateful to S. G. Pak, Assistant to the Mineral Dressing Department at NUST MIS&S, for the participation in the research.

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