International Journal of Mineral Processing 99 (2011) 4353

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International Journal of Mineral Processing

j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / i j m i n p r o

Effect of pellet basicity and MgO content on the quality and microstructure of
hematite pellets
Srinivas Dwarapudi a,, Tamal K. Ghosh a, Amitabh Shankar a, Vilas Tathavadkar a,
D. Bhattacharjee a, R. Venugopal b
a
b

R&D, Tata Steel Ltd, Jamshedpur, India

FME, ISM University, Dhanbad, India

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 18 September 2010
Received in revised form 24 March 2011
Accepted 27 March 2011
Available online 1 April 2011
Keywords:
Pellet induration
Swelling
Acid pellets
Reduction degradation index
Silicate melt
MgO pellets

a b s t r a c t
Quality of pellets is inuenced by the nature of ore or concentrate, associated gangue, type and amount of
uxes added and their subsequent treatment to produce pellets. These factors in turn result in the variation of
physicochemical properties of the coexisting phases and their distribution during pellet induration. In the
present study, effect of pellet basicity and MgO content on the melt formation and microstructure during the
induration was examined. Fired pellets with varying basicity (0 to 0.8) and MgO (0 and 1.5%) content were
tested for cold strength, reduction degradation index, reducibility, swelling and softeningmelting
characteristics. Optical microscope studies with image analysis software were carried out to estimate the
amount of different phases. SEM-EDS analysis was done to record the chemical analysis of oxide and slag
phases. X-ray mapping was also carried out to understand the distribution of CaO, MgO, SiO2 and Al2O3 in
different phases. From the results, it was observed that with increasing basicity, RDI and softeningmelting
characteristics of pellets found to be improved. Addition of MgO to both acid and limestone uxed pellets
considerably reduced their swelling tendency. Improved pellet quality could be attributed to the formation of
sufcient amount of silicate melt in basic pellets and high melting point slag in MgO pellets. Limestone uxed
pellets at 0.8 basicity, pyroxenite uxed pellets at 1.5% MgO and dolomite uxed pellets at 0.4 basicity & 1.5%
MgO exhibited optimum metallurgical properties among all the pellets studied.
2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Iron ore agglomerate quality plays a vital role in decreasing the
reducing agent consumption and increasing the productivity of blast
furnace. In most of the integrated steel works, the burden mix for blast
furnace is decided as per the availability of the iron ore agglomerates
like sinter and pellets. More attention has been given in recent years
to the use of uxed pellets in blast furnace due to their good strength
and improved reducibility, swelling and softeningmelting characteristics. Generally, quality of pellets is inuenced by the nature of ore
or concentrate, associated gangue, type and amount of uxes added
and their subsequent treatment to produce pellets. These factors in
turn result in the variation of physicochemical properties of the
coexisting phases and their distribution during pellet induration.
Hence properties of the pellets are largely governed by the form and
degree of bonding achieved between ore particles and the stability of
these bonding phases during reduction of iron oxides (Panigraphy
et al., 1990).
Corresponding author at: R&D, Tata Steel Ltd, Burma mines post, Jamshedpur,
831007, Jharkhand, India. Tel.: + 91 6572148928 (Ofce), + 91 9204058889 (mobile);
fax: + 91 65722717.
E-mail address: srinivasd@tatasteel.com (S. Dwarapudi).
0301-7516/$ see front matter 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.minpro.2011.03.004

In uxed pellets, the bonding is achieved through silicate melt

formation during induration. The amount of gangue in the concentrate, CaO & MgO in the uxes and binder inuences the amount and
chemistry of silicate melt. CaO uxes silicate melt as well as reacts
with iron oxide to form different calcium ferrites. MgO either enters
the magnetite lattice to form magnesioferrite or dissolves in the slag
phase. These melting phases interact with each other and dissolve a
variable amount of iron oxides. As the formation of phases and
microstructure during induration depends on the type and amount of
uxes added, there is a need to study the effect of these uxing agents
in terms of CaO/SiO2 ratio and MgO content on pellet quality.
Wynnyckyj et al. presented results of adding CaO in the form of
lime on red pellet quality; they found addition of lime increases the
pellet shrinkage and hence increase the pellet strength due to the
formation of calcium silicate and calcium ferrites (Wynnyckyj and
Fahidy, 1974).
Hamilton et al. revealed that CaO uxed pellets exhibit improved
strength when red between 1200 C and 1400 C due to the
formation of more slag in the porous structures and consolidation of
the pellet. (Hamilton, 1976).
Panigraphy, S.C et al. presented detailed results of limestone and
dolomite uxed pellets from hematite concentrate; in limestone
uxed pellets silicate melt was the predominant bonding phase up to

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the basicity of 1.3. With increasing basicity more amount of liquid

phase was formed during induration and hence more strength and
less porosity. It was noted that the reducibility reaches a maximum at
basicity 1.3 and then decreases with increased basicity. In low basicity
pellets, during reduction of wstite, a dense iron layer forms around
slowing down the reduction, whereas at 1.3 basicity, relatively small
grain size of hematite before reduction provides large surface area for
reduction. Reducibility decreased beyond 1.3 basicity due to the
formation of large secondary hematite grains. In limestone uxed
pellets, swelling found to be highest at 0.8 basicity and decreased
thereafter due to the formation of stronger bonding phase that can
absorb hematite to magnetite transformation stress. It was also
reported that dolomite uxed pellets exhibited higher porosity in
comparison to limestone pellets, as MgO, being a major constituent of
dolomite, raises the liquidus temperature of slag. Strength of dolomite
pellets was found to be lower due to the high amount of porosity.
Dolomite addition also improved the reducibility, highest at 1.3
basicity (Panigraphy et al., 1990).
John J Friel et al. studied effect of dolomite addition on the
magnetite pellets; pellets with basicity up to 1.3 exhibited less low
temperature disintegration, whereas at basicity more than 0.8
exhibited less swelling. Pellets containing 1.5% MgO showed highest
reduction characteristics and improved softening characteristics (Frill
and Erickson, 1980).
Sugiyama et al. studied the effect of CaO/SiO2 and MgO/SiO2 ratio
on the pellet quality; MgO addition, in the form of magnesite, resulted
in the formation of magnesioferrite and with increasing MgO porosity
and reducibility increased and swelling decreased. Pellets without any
CaO and MgO/SiO2 ratio more than 0.6 exhibited improved reducibility and softening properties, as the MgO increases the melting
point of slag (Sugiyama et al., 1983).
Earlier work reported by authors itself, revealed the MgO addition
in the form of pyroxenite reduced the swelling substantially due to
the formation of low FeO slag that can resist reduction stresses
(Dwarapudi et al., 2010).
Frazer et al. reported the effect of pellet basicity on swelling; high
swelling observed in the basicity range of 0.20.8 was caused by the
plastic nature of the slag which provides a medium for absorption of
the reduction stresses by increased distances between the particles
(Frazer et al., 1975).
Yadav et al. established the inuence of MgO on sinter quality. It
was reported that addition of MgO reduces the sinter strength by
forming glassy dicalcium silicate suppressing calcium ferrite formation. MgO restricts the melt formation during sintering, resulting in
increased porosity, thereby increasing its reducibility and reduction
degradation. MgO also improves the softeningmelting characteristics
(Yadav et al., 2002).
Bentell et al. reported the effect of MgO/SiO2 ratio and CaO/SiO2
ratio on pellet quality made from magnetite concentrate. Higher MgO/
SiO2 ratio resulted in high porosity and low pellet strength. At higher
CaO/SiO2 ratio (in the range of 1.62.0), low temperature breakdown,
reduction degree and strength of reduction of pellets found to be

improved. CaO/SiO2 ratio beyond 2.0 is not favored due to the

formation of 2CaOSiO2. They also reported that high temperature
reducibility increases with MgO/SiO2 ratio due to increase in the
melting point of the binding phase (Bentell, 1981; Bentell et al., 1984).
Lingtan K., et al. reported that addition of MgO in the form of olivine
to pellets caused more low temperature breakdown due to the formation
of cracks between the reduced magnetite phase and magnesioferrite
spinel. However MgO improved the high temperature reducibility of
pellets due to less liquid slag formation (Lingtan et al., 1983).
It is important to note that conditions and parameters of
pelletizing are specic to given ore or concentrate; the present
study is undertaken for typical Indian hematite ore nes high in
alumina. Except authors earlier work on quality of pellets from Indian
iron ore (Dwarapudi et al., 2008, 2010; Dwarapudi and Ranjan, 2010),
there is no considerable literature reported on the effect of pellet
basicity and MgO content in the basicity range of 0 to 0.8 for Indian
hematite ore. In the present study, pellets with varying basicity and
MgO content were tested for cold strength, reduction degradation
index, reducibility, swelling and softeningmelting characteristics.
Optical microscope studies with image analysis software were carried
out to estimate the amount of different phases. SEM-EDS analysis was
done to record the chemical analysis of oxide and slag phases. X-ray
mapping was also carried out to understand the distribution of CaO,
MgO, SiO2 and Al2O3 in different phases. It was attempted to establish
correlation between pellet chemistry (in terms of basicity & MgO) and
quality.
2. Experimental
The following materials were used for preparing the green pellets:
iron ore nes ( 10 mm size); bentonite ( 75 microns); anthracite
coal (10 mm); limestone ( 50 mm), dolomite (50 mm) and
pyroxenite (50 mm). Iron ore nes, coal, limestone, dolomite and
pyroxenite were ground separately in laboratory ball mill to get the
required neness for pelletizing. The chemistry and neness of the all
the materials used are mentioned in author's earlier work related to
pyroxenite ux usage. (Dwarapudi et al., 2010). Pyroxenite is a
magnesium silicate rock composed largely of pyroxene with small
amounts of olivine and serpentine.
Green pellets were prepared using a laboratory balling disc with a
diameter of 600 mm, an edge height of 200 mm and a tilting angle of
45 at 27 rpm. During balling, green pellets were screened with 10 mm
and 12.5 mm screens to get 1012.5 mm pellets. The amount of
ingredients added for preparing green pellets with varying basicity
and MgO (Pellet A,A1, B,B1, C,C1, D,D1, E &E1) and their quality
parameters are shown in Table 1. To adjust the basicity of pellets from
0 to 0.8, amount of limestone was varied from 0 to 3% in the green
pellets. To study the effect of MgO content on the uxed pellet quality,
pellets were prepared in the basicity range of 0 to 0.8 with 1.5% MgO.
The reason behind selection 1.5% MgO was mentioned elsewhere by
the author in their earlier work (Dwarapudi et al., 2010). To adjust the
MgO content, dolomite dosage was varied from 2 to 6% and pyroxenite

Table 1
Ingredients of green pellets with varying amount of uxes and their quality.

Iron ore, wt.%

Bentonite, wt.%
Limestone, wt.%
Dolomite, wt.%
Pyroxenite, wt.%
Coal, wt.%
Green pellet quality
Drop number
Green crushing strength, kg/pellet
Green pellet moisture,%

Pellet A

Pellet A1

Pellet B

Pellet B1

Pellet C

Pellet C1

Pellet D

Pellet D1

Pellet E

Pellet E1

97.8
0.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.4

93.3
0.7
0.0
0.0
4.7
1.3

97.3
0.8
0.5
0.0
0.0
1.4

92.8
0.7
0.0
2.0
3.2
1.3

96.6
0.8
1.3
0.0
0.0
1.4

92.5
0.7
0.0
3.5
1.9
1.3

95.9
0.8
2.0
0.0
0.0
1.3

92.1
0.7
0.0
4.7
1.2
1.3

95.1
0.8
2.8
0.0
0.0
1.3

91.7
0.7
0.0
5.6
0.6
1.3

4.6
1.6
7.9

4.3
1.7
7.9

3.9
1.8
7.6

2.7
1.9
7.1

3.7
1.8
7.4

2.8
1.9
7.3

4.3
1.9
6.9

3.7
1.9
7.2

4.4
1.8
7.6

4.5
2.0
7.1

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45

Table 2
Chemical analysis of pellets with varying basicity and MgO content.
wt.%

Pellet A

Pellet A1

Pellet B

Pellet B1

Pellet C

Pellet C1

Pellet D

Pellet D1

Pellet E

PelletE1

Fe(t)
SiO2
Al2O3
CaO
MgO
CaO/SiO2

66.0
1.9
2.2
0.1
0.1
0.0

63.6
4.2
2.0
0.1
1.5
0.0

65.8
2.0
2.1
0.5
0.2
0.2

63.2
3.6
2.1
0.9
1.6
0.3

65.4
1.9
2.2
0.8
0.2
0.4

64.0
2.9
2.1
1.3
1.5
0.4

65.0
2.2
2.1
1.4
0.3
0.6

63.7
2.7
2.2
1.7
1.7
0.6

64.8
1.9
2.2
1.6
0.2
0.8

63.2
2.5
2.1
2.0
1.7
0.8

addition from 0.5 to 3%. Before ring, pellets were dried in the hot air
oven at 150 C for 56 h to ensure that all the moisture is removed.
Firing of the pellets was carried out using electrically heated rotary
hearth furnace (RHF) mentioned elsewhere by the author in their
earlier work (Dwarapudi et al., 2010). The RHF consists of 5 heating
zones and 1 cooling zone. All the zones were provided with air inlet
nozzles to inject ambient air for creating oxidizing atmosphere during
induration. During ring, air was injected from zone-6 (cooling zone)
and was vented from the exhaust hood in zone 1 to ensure hot air

circulation from zone 6 to zone 1 while pellet sample travels from

zone 1 to zone 6. The countercurrent movement between the hot
pellets and air facilitates the complete oxidation of admixed coal in
the green pellets. Temperature proles in each zone were maintained
to simulate the ring conditions in the industrial pellet indurating
machine. Temperature in zone-1 & 2 was maintained at 800 C &
1100 C respectively to simulate preheating, zone-3 & 4 at 1300 C to
simulate ring and zone-5 & 6 at 1100 C & 800 C respectively to
simulate cooling zones of indurating machine. Inconel baskets, that

(a)Pellet A

(b)Pellet B

(c)Pellet C

(d)Pellet D

(e)Pellet E

Fig. 1. Optical microstructures of red MgO-free pellets with varying basicity.

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can accommodate 500 g of pellets, were used to re the pellets in the

RHF. In each batch 3 kg of pellets were red to generate required
number samples for the test work.
Table 2 shows the chemical analysis of red pellets with varying
basicity and MgO content.
2.1. Physical and metallurgical testing of pellets
Fired pellets were tested for their cold compression strength (CCS)
as per ISO 4700 and swelling index as per ISO4698. While reporting
CCS, standard deviation was also measured. Reduction degradation
index (RDI) and reducibility index (RI) were tested as per ISO 4696-2
and ISO 7215 respectively. For swelling, reducibility and reduction
degradation index, average of two test readings was taken and error
bars are added to the graphs with 90% condence level. For softening
melting test, mixed burden sample of 280 g is prepared using sinter
(154 g), pellets (98 g) and lump ore (28 g) in the ratio of 35%, 55% and
10%. Schematic diagram of apparatus used for softeningmelting test
with the description of test procedure was mentioned elsewhere by
the author in their earlier work (Dwarapudi et al., 2010). For micro
structural studies, CCS and swelling, pellets from each batch were
collected from top layer of Inconel basket as they are exposed to
uniform heat from top and sidewalls of RHF. Pellets with cracks and
irregular shape were avoided as they experience uneven heat
treatment across their cross section.
2.2. Image analysis of microstructures
Image analysis is a technique that is used to provide an objective
measurement of different phases in microstructure. Pellet samples
were cut into half and hot mounted at 175 C temperature and 90 daN
load for 14 min using a conductive resin. Once sample has been
mounted and polished, it was placed under the Zeiss-Axioplan2
microscope for examination. A black and white CCD digital camera
with a maximum resolution of 756 581 pixels was mounted behind
the lens of the microscope to capture the light reected from the
sample. A 10 eye piece and 20 objective lens on the microscope has
been selected for the current study. At this level of magnication, the
view frame on the sample surface is approximately 0.7 0.5 mm.
The signal from the camera was provided to a personal computer
through a gain correction amplier to correct the signal for optimal
display. The computer software used for interpreting the camera signal
into digital image was Axiovision 4.7 Imaging System supplied by Carl
Zeiss Vision. Basically, the digital image captured from the black and
white camera is represented by pixels having 256 shades of grey values
i.e. 0 to 255 (Loo and Leung, 2003). The lower range of grey values
represents pores and the oxide grains represent higher range values. A
digitized black and white photograph was transformed into a
segmented image with the specied range of grey values to different
phases. Once the image has been processed, image analysis tools from
the Axiovision software were used to measure the area fraction and
phase density of different phases in the microstructure.
3. Results
3.1. Quantitative measures of microstructure through image analysis
3.1.1. Pellets with varying basicity (referred as MgO-free pellets)
Fig. 1 shows the optical microstructures of red pellets with
varying basicity. Image analysis studies of these pellets revealed that
hematite, magnetite and silicate melt are the major phases in the
pellets. Amount of silicate melt, which acts as a bonding phase, was
found to increase with increasing basicity, as shown in Fig. 2(a).
Distribution of silicate melt is measured in terms of silicate melt
density (number of silicate melt phases per unit area) using image
analysis technique as shown in Fig. 2(b). If the silicate melt is more

Fig. 2. Image analysis of MgO-free pellets (a) Distribution of different phases and
(b) silicate melt density.

distributed, there will be more number of phases/grains per unit area,

i.e. high silicate melt density. The distribution of the silicate melt
phase is more scattered in 0.4 and 0.6 basicity pellets, as indicated by
high silicate melt density. This could be attributed to the increased
mobility of the melt phase due to the formation of low melting point
olivines in this basicity range (Frazer et al., 1975). Porosity found to
decrease with increasing basicity due to impregnation of pores with
the melt phase.
3.1.2. Pellets with varying basicity with 1.5% MgO (referred as MgO
pellets)
Fig. 3 shows the optical microstructures of red MgO pellets (with
varying basicity at 1.5% MgO). Image analysis studies, as shown in
Fig. 4(a) of these pellets revealed that hematite, magnetite and silicate
melt are the major phases, while some amount of magnesioferrite was
observed at low basicity levels. The mean size of the pores was found
to increase with increasing basicity as indicated by low pore density,
Fig. 4(b). Pore density (no of pores/mm2) is an indication of pore size.
Higher the pore density more the number of pores in a given area with
small pore size and vice versa.
3.2. SEM study with EDS analysis
3.2.1. MgO-free pellets
Fig. 5 shows the SEM image of Pellet A, C & E with EDS analysis of
all pellets (A, B C, D & E). From the results it was evident that
chemistry of iron oxides is uniform in all pellets irrespective of
basicity. But chemistry of slag phase found to be varying with
increasing basicity. FeO content of the slag phase decreased
considerably with increased basicity as shown in the EDS analysis of

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(a)Pellet

A1

(b)Pellet

B1

(c)Pellet

C1

(d)Pellet

D1

(e)Pellet

E1

47

Fig. 3. Optical microstructures of red MgO pellets with varying basicity.

Fig. 5. X-ray mapping studies of the red pellet samples, as shown in

Fig. 6, revealed that CaO from the limestone was distributed only in
silicate melt.
3.2.2. MgO pellets
Fig. 7 shows the SEM image of Pellet A1, C1 & E1 with EDS analysis
of all pellets (A1, B1 C1, D1 & E1). Addition of MgO to varying basicity
pellets increased the FeO content of the slag phase as shown in the
EDS analysis. X-ray mapping studies of the red MgO pellet samples,
as shown in Fig. 8, revealed that MgO was distributed both in silicate
melt and oxide phase.
3.3. Cold compression strength
Cold compression strength (CCS) indicates the ability of pellets to
withstand the load during their storage & handling and the load of
burden material in the reduction furnace. Blast furnace needs pellets
with CCS values in the range of 200230 kg/pellet. Pellet strength

found to increase up to 0.4 basicity (CaO/SiO2) in MgO-free pellets and

decreased thereafter. The same trend was observed in MgO pellets
also. But MgO pellets exhibited slightly lower strength compared to
basic pellets as shown in Fig. 9. Both the pellets, MgO-free and MgO,
exhibited required strength values as desired by the blast furnace.
3.4. Swelling index
Swelling index indicates volume change of pellets during
reduction. Higher swelling index reduces the strength of pellets
after their reduction thereby causing irregularities in the blast furnace
like high resistance to gas ow, burden hanging and slipping.
Maximum allowable swelling of pellets for blast furnace ranges
from 14 to 16%. Fig. 10 shows the swelling index of MgO-free and MgO
pellets with varying basicity. Error bars are shown in the gure with
90% condence level of the test results. From the results it is evident
that acid pellets (zero basicity and no MgO content) exhibited highest
swelling among all the pellets. In case of MgO-free pellets, high

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considerably, Fig. 13. MgO pellets showed increased softening

temperature and decreased softeningmelting range at 0.4 basicity
only as shown in Fig. 14.
4. Discussion
4.1. Pellet strength
Fig. 9 above mentioned showed that CCS of both MgO-free pellets
and MgO pellets are above the acceptable limit for blast furnace.
Highest strength of MgO-free pellets at 0.4 basicity could be attributed
to decreased porosity with increased basicity. Addition of basic ux
resulted in the formation of more amount of low strength silicate melt
phase, Fig. 2(a). Silicate melt lls up the pores between solid particles
and exerts pressure to pull them together due to interfacial forces
thereby reducing the porosity. But beyond 0.4 basicity, the positive
effect of low porosity is counteracted by the increased amount of low
strength silicate melt, thereby resulting in lower strength.
Strength of MgO pellets found to be lower as compared to MgOfree pellets irrespective of basicity. This could be attributed to high
amount of silicate melt, Fig. 4 (a), which is low in strength, in MgO
pellets compared to MgO-free pellets.
4.2. Swelling behavior

Fig. 4. Image analysis of red MgO pellets with varying basicity (a) Distribution of
different phases and (b) pore density.

swelling was observed at 0.6 basicity and decreased thereafter. MgO

pellets demonstrated considerably lower swelling tendency compared to MgO-free pellets at all basicity levels.
3.5. Reduction degradation and reducibility
Reduction degradation index (RDI) of pellets indicates their
tendency to generate nes during reduction. From the results it is
evident that acid pellets exhibited highest RDI whereas MgO-free
pellets in the basicity range of 0.20.8 showed low RDI as shown in
Fig. 11. MgO pellets demonstrated lower RDI compared to MgO-free
pellets in the basicity range of 0 to 0.4, but high RDI in 0.60.8 basicity
range.
Reducibility of the pellets may be dened as the ease with which
the oxygen combined with the iron oxide can be removed. A higher
reducibility indicates more indirect reduction in the blast furnace
resulting in lower coke rate and high productivity. Results indicated
that acid pellets reduced more compared to MgO-free pellets whereas
MgO pellets exhibited higher reducibility compared to acid and MgOfree pellets irrespective of their basicity as shown in Fig. 12.

Volumetric expansion of iron ore pellets takes place during their

reduction from hematite to magnetite and wstite. It can be mainly
attributed to the increased volume requirements for the anisotropic
growth of magnetite (111) planes parallel to the hematite (0001)
planes (Frazer et al., 1975). Swelling is related to the ability of gangue
or slag phase to withstand the reduction stresses of independent oxide
particles. High melting point slag would produce sufcient bonding
strength to limit swelling and low melting point slag enhances
swelling. As shown in Fig. 10, acid pellets (0 basicity and 0% MgO
content) exhibited highest swelling and MgO-free pellets exhibited
higher swelling at 0.6 basicity and decreased thereafter. In acid pellets
reduction is accompanied by the reaction between Fe2+ and SiO2 to
form low melting point phase, fayalite (Fe2SiO4) that melts at 1175 C
(Dwarapudi et al., 2010). High swelling index of these pellets can be
attributed to the plastic or mobile nature of low melting point fayalitic
slag that provides a medium for absorption of the reduction stresses by
increased distances between the particles. In MgO-free pellets, high
swelling values at 0.6 basicity can be compared to the earlier studies of
Frazer et al. on different iron ore nes. They reported that maximum
swelling on reduction occurs in the basicity range of 0.20.8. In case of
our pellets, maximum swelling at 0.6 basicity can be attributed to the
formation of low melting point calcium olivines between Fe2SiO2 and
Ca2SiO4, with lowest melting point of 1115 C (Frazer et al., 1975). High
silicate melt density of 0.40.6 basicity pellets as shown in Fig. 2(b), also
conrms the plastic or mobile nature of the low melting point slag.
Addition of MgO to pellets increases the melting point of the slag
or silicate melt formed between the oxide particles (Onoda et al.,
1980). Low swelling of MgO pellets, Fig. 10, can be attributed high
melting point slag that contributes sufcient bond strength to
withstand the reduction stresses.
4.3. Reduction degradation and reducibility

3.6. Softeningmelting characteristics

Study of softeningmelting characteristics of pellets help in
understanding the formation of cohesive zone in the lower portion
of blast furnace. If the pellets soften at lower temperature and the
temperature range between softening and melting is wider, then the
resistance to the gas ow will be more in the cohesive zone. Results
indicated that softening temperature of MgO-free pellets increased
with increasing basicity and the softeningmelting range decreased

Reduction degradation (measured as RDI) of pellets is an

undesired phenomenon that occurs at low temperatures in the
upper part of blast furnace or reduction shaft of any direct reduction
unit. The primary cause of low temperature disintegration is due to
crystalline transformation from hexagonal hematite to cubic magnetite accompanied by volume expansion to an extent of 25% and lattice
distortion (Panigraphy et al., 1984). The anisotropic dimensional
change due to the transformation leads to severe stresses in certain

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Fig. 5. SEM image of Pellet A, C & E with EDS analysis of all pellets (A, B, C, D & E).

Fig. 6. Distribution of Fe, Si, Ca and Mg in red MgO-free pellet with 0.8 basicity (Pellet E).

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S. Dwarapudi et al. / International Journal of Mineral Processing 99 (2011) 4353

Fig. 7. SEM image of Pellet A1, C1 & E1 with EDS analysis of all pellets (A1, B1, C1, D1 & E1).

Fig. 8. Distribution of Fe, Si, Ca and Mg in red MgO pellet with 0.4 basicity (Pellet D1).

S. Dwarapudi et al. / International Journal of Mineral Processing 99 (2011) 4353

290

50

270

45

250

40

51

50

35

210

0%MgO

1.5%MgO

Stdev 0%MgO

Stdev 1.5%MgO

30

190

25

170

20

RDI,% (-3.15mm)

230

40

Standard deviation

Cold copression strength, kg/pellet

45

0%MgO

35

1.5%MgO
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Pellet basicity
150

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

15

Fig. 11. Effect of pellet basicity on the RDI of red pellets.

Pellet basicity
Fig. 9. Effect of pellet basicity on the cold strength of red pellets.

planes, resulting cracks in brittle matrix. The effect is particularly

severe in the grain boundaries. It is very clear that iron oxide in the
indurated pellets is mainly in the form of hematite; therefore,
generation of internal stress in principle is unavoidable. The
disintegration can be reduced by increasing the amount of stable
bonding phases, which are less brittle at lower temperatures, with
homogeneous distribution. Bonding which forms during induration
can be divided into three main groups: iron oxides bonds (hematite,
magnetite), silicate bonds and local bonds (calcium ferrite, magnesioferrite) that are close to particular mineral phases. Iron oxide bonds
are common and strong, but they are not stable during reduction due
to their phase change. Unlike iron oxide bonds, silicate bonds remain
unaltered during reduction and they soften and melt later (Niiniskorpi,
2004). Acid pellets showed high reduction degradation due to the
presence of more hematite bonds and less silicate bonds. MgO-free
pellets exhibited considerably less reduction degradation due to the
presence of silicate melt, as shown in Fig. 2(a), which is more stable
compared to hematite. In the earlier studies by the author, it was
observed that uniformly distributed silicate melt improves the RDI of
iron ore pellets (Dwarapudi et al., 2008).
MgO pellets exhibited less degradation compared to MgO-free
pellets up to 0.4 basicity. This could be attributed to the comparatively
high amount of silicate melt as shown in Fig. 4(a). But the poor
degradation of MgO pellets in the basicity range of 0.6 to 0.8 could be
attributed to the increased pore size, as indicated by low pore density,
Fig. 4(b), which can result in poor strength of reduced pellet matrix
and hence more degradation. Pore density (no of pores/mm2) is an
indication of pore size. Higher the pore density more the number of
pores in a given area with small pore size and vice versa.

50

As shown in Fig. 12, reducibility of acid pellets is higher than MgOfree pellets due to the presence of more amount of low melting point
silicate melt between the iron oxide grains in the later. During
reduction at high temperature, the slag softens and impedes the ow
of reducing gas within the pellet thereby retarding the reduction. In
case of MgO pellets, silicate melt formed between the iron oxide gains
is high in melting point (Onoda et al., 1980) due to MgO. Relatively
high reducibility of these pellets at all basicity levels can be attributed
to high melting point slag which does not soften at reduction
temperatures and keeps the pores open for reducing gas thereby
enhancing reduction.

4.4. Softeningmelting characteristics

Softeningmelting properties of the pellets are affected by the
liquidus phase with low melting point that is formed between wstite
and slag phase during reduction (Onoda et al., 1980). Inferior
softeningmelting characteristics of acid pellets can be attributed to
the FeO rich low melting fayalitic liquidus slag, whereas MgO-free
pellets exhibited superior properties due to the fact that increase in
pellet basicity increases the basicity of burden (55% Sinter + 35%
pellets + 10%lump ore) slag thereby increasing its liquidus temperature as given in Table 3. Burden slag consists of slag formed from all
the iron burden, viz., sinter, pellets and lump ore. Increased basicity of
burden slag facilitates the formation of discacium silicate, which has
narrow melting range, thereby decreasing the softeningmelting
range as shown in Fig. 13.
MgO pellets exhibited high softening temperature and low SM
range at 0.4 basicity as shown in Fig. 14. This could be due to the
formation of optimum slag similar to the slag formed by MgO-free
pellets at 0.8 basicity. Four component basicity (CaO + MgO/(SiO2 +
Al2O3) and viscosity of both the slags are similar as shown in Table 3,
that means slag with optimum liquidus temperature and viscosity is
90

45

85

0% MgO

35

Reducibility Index, %

Swelling Index,%

40

1.5% MgO
30
25
20
15
10

75
70
65

0%MgO

60

1.5%MgO

55

5
0

80

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Pellet basicity
Fig. 10. Effect of pellet basicity on the swelling of red pellets.

50

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Pellet basicity
Fig. 12. Effect of pellet basicity on the reducibility of red pellets.

52

S. Dwarapudi et al. / International Journal of Mineral Processing 99 (2011) 4353

Fig. 13. Effect of pellet basicity on the softeningmelting characteristics of mixed

burden.

Fig. 14. Effect of pellet basicity at 1.5% MgO on the softeningmelting characteristics of
mixed burden.

required for optimum softeningmelting characteristics. Calculation

method of viscosity is mentioned elsewhere by one of the authors
(Shankar et al., 2007). Low amount of non-drip material in case of
MgO-free pellets at 0.8 basicity and MgO pellet at 0.4 basicity also
indicates that burden slag formed is easily owable without impeding
the burden permeability.
After evaluating the pellets for different metallurgical properties, it
is often difcult to directly ascertain the optimum pellet chemistry
suitable for blast furnace because some quality parameters like
reducibility, degree of reduction need to be maximized where as other

Fig. 15. Composite quality index of varying basicity pellets with and without MgO.

parameters like swelling and softeningmelting range need to be

minimized. To calculate the numerically optimum pellet chemistry, a
new dimensionless index called composite quality index has been
formulated. Similar attempts were made earlier by other workers to
formulate integral index for green pellets (Zhak et al., 1998) and
integral indices for metallurgical conversions (Yusn et al., 1997).
Composite quality index (CQI) is composed of different indices
related to high temperature metallurgical properties of pellets. Indices
that need to be increased viz., reducibility index and degree of
reduction are placed in the numerator whereas indices that need to be
decreased, viz., reduction degradation index, swelling index and
softeningmelting range are place in the denominator. Hence higher
composite index indicates the improved pellet quality and vice verse.
Composite quality index (CQI) = (reducibility index + degree of
reduction)/(reduction degradation index + swelling index + SM
range). Fig. 15 shows the CQI of MgO-free and MgO pellets. In MgOfree pellets highest CQI value (0.74) is observed at 0.8 basicity.
Pyroxenite uxed pellets (zero basicity and 1.5% MgO) and dolomite
uxed pellets (0.4 basicity and 1.5% MgO) also exhibited high CQI
values, 0.58 and 0.59 respectively. The CQI, which gives weightage to
vital quality parameters, can be used as a tool to relatively compare
the pellet quality rather relying on any single parameter.
5. Conclusions
The effect of pellet basicity and MgO content on the melt formation
and microstructure during the induration of iron ore pellets was
examined. Fired pellets with varying basicity (0 to 0.8) and MgO (0 and
1.5%) content were tested for cold strength, reduction degradation
index, reducibility, swelling and softeningmelting characteristics.

Table 3
Details of burden sample and slag chemistry from softeningmelting test.
Pellet A
Mixed burden sample used for SM test
wt. of sinter, g
154.0
wt. of pellets, g
98.1
wt. of ore, g
28.0
Burden slag chemistry after softeningmelting test
CaO, wt.%
44.2
SiO2,wt.%
28.6
MgO, wt.%
7.3
Al2O3, wt.%
19.9
Slag weight, g
31.6
CaO/SiO2
1.5
(CaO + MgO)/(SiO2 + Al2O3)
1.01
Calculated liquidus temperature of slag, C
1426
Non drip material, %
17.3
Calculated slag viscosity (poise)
2.0

Pellet B

Pellet C

Pellet D

Pellet E

Pellet A1

Pellet B1

Pellet C1

Pellet D1

PelletE1

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

154.0
98.1
28.0

44.5
28.6
7.9
19.1
32.4
1.6
1.1
1436
21.5
1.8

45.2
27.7
7.7
19.2
32.7
1.6
1.1
1466
11.9
1.7

45.4
28.2
8.1
18.2
33.9
1.6
1.2
1466
17.3
1.5

46.5
27.1
7.6
18.6
33.2
1.7
1.2
1496
8
1.4

40.3
31.9
10.8
16.9
34.9
1.3
1.1
1436
14.2
2.0

40.9
29.6
12.8
16.6
36.6
1.4
1.2
1461
19.4
1.5

43.3
28.4
10.9
17.5
35.3
1.5
1.2
1466
2.8
1.4

43.7
27.7
11.4
17.3
36.0
1.6
1.2
1476
11.3
1.2

43.7
25.8
13.6
16.8
36.5
1.7
1.3
1476
15.4
0.9

S. Dwarapudi et al. / International Journal of Mineral Processing 99 (2011) 4353

Optical microscope studies with image analysis software were carried

out to estimate the amount of different phases. SEM-EDS analysis was
done to record the chemical analysis of oxide and slag phases. X-ray
mapping was also carried out to understand the distribution of CaO,
MgO, SiO2 and Al2O3 in different phases. The following conclusions can
be drawn from this work:
1. With increasing basicity the amount of silicate melt, which acts a
bonding phase, found to increase in the red pellets. FeO content of
the silicate melt decreased with increasing basicity of pellets.
Addition of MgO to both acid and limestone-uxed pellets resulted
in the formation of high melting point slag during their induration.
2. Acid pellets exhibited highest swelling, whereas maximum
swelling in MgO-free pellets was observed at 0.6 basicity. Addition
of MgO to both acid and limestone-uxed pellets at all basicity
levels considerably reduced the swelling tendency of pellets due to
the formation of high melting point slag that gives sufcient bond
strength to withstand the reduction stresses.
3. With increasing basicity, MgO-free and MgO pellets exhibited
considerably lower reduction degradation compared to acid pellets
due to the formation of more amount of silicate melt, which is more
stable under the reducing conditions in blast furnace.
4. Reducibility of MgO-free pellets is slightly lower compared to acid
pellet due to the formation of silicate melt in the former which
softens and impedes the ow of reducing gas within the pellet
thereby retarding the reduction. Addition of MgO to both acid and
limestone-uxed pellets at all basicity levels increased their
reducibility by forming high melting point slag which does not
soften at reduction temperatures and keeps the pores open for
reducing gas thereby enhancing reduction.
5. Inferior softeningmelting characteristics of acid pellets can be
attributed to the formation of FeO rich low melting fayalitic
liquidus slag. MgO-free pellets with increasing basicity exhibited
increased softening temperatures and low softeningmelting
range due to the formation of burden slag with high liquidus
temperature.
6. To relatively compare pellet quality based on vital quality
parameters, a new dimensionless index called composite quality
index has been formulated. Higher composite index indicates the
improved pellet quality and vice verse. Limestone uxed MgO-free
pellets at 0.8 basicity, pyroxenite uxed pellets at 1.5% MgO and
dolomite uxed pellets at 0.4 basicity & 1.5% MgO exhibited
optimum metallurgical quality parameters among all the pellets
studied.

53

Acknowledgements
Authors are thankful Mr. Mark B Denys (Chief, R&D and SS) for his
encouragement, support and permission to publish this paper. Thanks
are also due to Prof A K Lahiri, Prof. T C Rao, Mr. Ashok Kumar (Chief,
RMIMTG) and Mr. Surajit Sinha (Head Pellet plant) for their valuable
inputs.
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