Separation of ferromanganese ore components by non-contact and contact carbothermic reduction

The possibility of joint selective solid-phase reduction of iron and phosphorus in ferromanganese ore has been experimentally confirmed. The experiments were carried out in a Tamman laboratory furnace at a temperature of 1000 °C and holding for two and five hours. The article presents results of the study of phase composition and phases' quantitative ratio of the reduction products, as well as chemical composition of the phases. It was established that reduction roasting in CO atmosphere provides a transition from oxide phase to metal phase only of iron and phosphorus. At the same time, the concentration of manganese oxide MnO increases in the ore oxide phase. The use of solid carbon as a reducing agent under the same conditions leads to transition to the metallic phase together with iron and phosphorus of a part of manganese. Based on the obtained data, it is proposed to selectively reduce iron and phosphorus at a temperature of 1000 °C with a reducing gas. Gas reduction will make it possible to use existing gas furnaces, in particular, multi-pod furnaces, for metallization of iron and phosphorus in ferromanganese ore, and natural gas, including hydrogen -enriched gas, and even pure hydrogen, as a reducing agent and energy carrier. Due to this, at the stage of ore metallization in production of manganese alloys, greenhouse gas CO₂ emissions can be reduced. The results of the work can be used in the development of theoretical and technological bases for processing ferromanganese ores with a high content of phosphorus, which are not processed by existing technologies.

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