Kenyan Iron Ore: Mining and prospects of processing

Prof. S M. Maranga* and Alvin Kiprono Bett* and Kyalo Ndeto* and Gilbert Bett**
*Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Department of Mechanical
Engineering)
**Wanjala Mines

Abstract
Industrialization is one of the economic pillars in the Kenya Vision 2030 thus iron and steel will
be prominent in the industrialization process. Kenya relies heavily on the importation of
manufactured goods with iron and steel products forming the bulk of the raw materials. The
country has some iron ore deposits and coal reserves among other input for steel making. The
main deposits of the ore are found in Kishushe, Marimanti and Samia. The paper focuses on the
iron ore from Kishushe location in the Coast region. The iron is mined and exported in semi-
processed state. The chemical composition of the ore has been analyzed. There are interests to
produce steel from the local ore. The challenges are on the estimation of the deposits, the quality,
beneficiation methods and the selection of the extraction technologies.

Keywords - iron ore, magnetic separation, coal

1. Introduction
Iron, Fe, is a common element accounting for around 5-6 % of the earth’s crust and the most
used metal in many sectors in processed steel. The sources of iron are iron-rich minerals
termed iron ores. Naturally iron is bonded with oxygen, water, sulphur or carbonate in a
variety of minerals but the chief ores of iron are magnetite Fe 3 O 4 , containing 72.4 % Fe,
black; hematite, Fe 2 O 3 containing 70 % Fe, red; limonite, 2Fe 2 O 3 ·3H 2 O, containing 59.9%
Fe, brown; and the carbonate siderite, FeCO 3 , containing 48.3 % Fe, brown [1,2]. Also
sulphides, pyrite, FeS 2 , and pyrrhotite, Fe x S (x=0-0.17) are ore sources.

Iron ore deposits are formed by three geological processes [3]: direct sedimentation forming
bedded sedimentary deposits resulting into two types of iron formation; banded iron-
formations and ironstones.
Iron ore deposits of igneous origin formed because of magmatic segregation of iron-bearing
minerals occurring as veins and tabular replacement bodies of magnetite and hematite.
Iron-ore deposits formed by surface or near surface enrichment as less resistant minerals
were removed. Chemical and physical weathering by soil forming processes of pre-existing
iron-bearing minerals resulted in progressive concentration of iron oxides to form iron-rich
deposits.
Prof. S M Maranga
Email: smmaranga@yahoo.com
Alvin K. Bett
Email: iklaeb@gmail.com/ kipronobettalvo@yahoo.com
Mathew Kyalo Ndeto
Email: kyalomathew@yahoo.com
Gilbert K. Bett
Email: bett86.kip@gmai.com
1.1. Mining Industry in Kenya
Mining in Kenya is primarily for production of non-metallic minerals encompassing
industrial minerals such as soda ash (trona), fluorspar, diatomite, natural CO 2 , kaolin,
gemstone and limestone. Mining accounts for less than 1% of Kenya’s annual GDP [4].

Iron ores are mined from small-localized deposits that have not been fully developed/
explored and are largely sold to cement industries where they are used as additives in the
manufacture of cement. Following global oil price increases, Kenya has been faced with an
energy crisis, which has led to an increase in exploration activities for oil and gas reserves in
the coastal and semi-arid parts of Kenya [7]. Metallic minerals are produced in some
quantities for example gold, which is usually mined by residents in the western part of the
country. Fig. 1 shows the mineral occurrence in Kenya. Coal reserves have been identified in
Mui basin and feasibility study has been done [8].

1.2. Iron Ore in Kenya

In certain parts of Kenya and the neighboring countries, the smelting of iron ores by the use
of charcoal was carried out in rural areas for the production of sponge iron. The product was
used to make primitive implements and weapons but the craft practicaly died out as the result
of increased trade with the industrialized countries, which were able to supply tools and other
necessities at comparatively low prices [5]. Iron ore deposits in the country have not been
fully explored. Iron minerals are of widespread occurrence in western Kenya, chiefly Nyanza
namely as at Macalder mine which has banded ironstones as shown in Fig. 2, where they are
frequently associated with the rocks of the goldfields formations [7]. Iron ore reserves exist
in several locations and they include Meru, Ikutha, Taita, Embu, Lolgorien, Samburu and
Funyula districts. Thus, the country has the primary raw material for setting up a steel plant.
Iron ore exported monthly is 7,500 metric tons from Kishushe mines in Taita area [8].

1.3. Steel Industry in Kenya

In Kenya the direct and indirect consumptions of steel was projected to be 0.567 – 0.614
million tons in the year 1985 and 1.860 – 2.356 million tons in the year 2000 – 2015
(currently). Based on these projections the per capita iron and steel consumption was
expected to increase from 20 -25 kgs in 1985 to 45 – 50 kg currently which is very low
compared to the global per capita consumption of 300 kgs of steel. The iron and steel
industry is owned by private sector and they are mostly involved in the rolling of steel
products. The industry depends heavily on imported raw billets and from local scrap metal.
Foundry a major sector in metal industry relies heavily on the local scrap. Currently,
production of steel products in the country is estimated to be 600, 000 tons from steel rolling
firms [6]. The source of energy for steel plants is electricity and coke.

1.4. Coal deposits

Ministry of energy has drilled some blocks of coal reserves in Mui basin (Yoonye - Kateiko)
to ascertain the availability of deposits. Laboratory results indicated that the coal ranks from
peat trough lignite and sub-bituminious to bituminious grade with lignite and sub-
bituminious most abundant. Summary of the analysis is as shown in Table 3 [8]. If exploited,
other than the production of coke for the extraction of iron other potential uses of the mineral
 include; electric power generation, firing of kilns in manufacturing industries and boilers.
Clean coal technology is the key to success in the use of coal.

1.5. Prospects of processing Iron ore

From the three major sites identified (Kishushe, Marimanti and Samia) in Kenya to have
substantial deposits of iron ore, besides the quality of the ores, the next step is to estimate the
amounts. The selection of the methods for extraction of the metal follows. Studies on
alternative beneficiation methods have been initiated to facilitate in the selection of the
extraction technologies including a blast furnace.

2. Magnetic Separation of Iron Ore

Iron ores should be of a good grade (above 65% Fe) to be used in blast furnaces. Low-grade
ores are usually beneficiated/upgraded. Beneficiation technique for iron ore is important in
order to achieve a maximized utilization of ore resources and to produce standard products
[11].

Magnetic separation is used to separate natural magnetic iron ore (magnetite) from a variety
of less-magnetic or non-magnetic materials. It may be conducted in dry or wet environment,
with wet systems being commonly used. Magnetic separation operations can also be
categorized as either low or high intensity where low intensity separators use magnetic fields
between 1,000 and 3,000 gauss and normally used on highly magnetic material, such as
magnetite. In high intensity separators fields as strong as 20,000 gauss are applied in
separation of weak magnetic iron minerals, like hematite, from non-magnetic or less
magnetic gangue material [3]. In separation process, particles are subjected to forces
including gravity, drag and magnetic forces [9]. Materials are classified into two categories;
diamagnetics that are repelled along the lines of magnetic force to a point where the field
intensity is smaller thus diamagnetic substances cannot be concentrated magnetically because
the forces involved are very small. Paramagnetics on the other hand are attracted along the
lines of magnetic force to points of greater field intensity and can be concentrated in high
intensity magnetic separators. Examples of paramagnets include titanium minerals namely
ilmenite (FeTiO 3 ) and rutile (TiO 2 ), wolframite ((FeMn)WO 4 ), monazite (rare earth
phosphate), siderite (FeCO 3 ), pyrrhotite (FeS), chromite (FeCr 2 0 4 ), hematite (Fe 2 0 3 ), and
manganese materials [7].
For the Kishushe ore, the separation yielded values ranging from 84 – 98% iron ore.

3. Kishushe Iron Ore Deposits

Taita-Taveta County has iron ore deposits in Kishushe, Mwandongo, Shelemba,
Mwambirwa, Kasighau, Kamtonga, Daku and Oza locations (Fig 3) [9]. The site of study is
Kishushe where the ore is mined by Sanghani groups/ Wanjala Mining Co Ltd. The county
lies in the Mozambique belt, which is gelogically rich in metallic and gemstone minerals as
shown in the Fig. 4 [8]. Iron ore exists in banded iron formation, reef and alluvial deposits.

Mining methods applied are open pit mining for the reef deposits and mobile screening for
the BIF and alluvial deposits. Both methods involve the clearing of vegetation such as trees,
shrubs, grass, et al using a bulldozer, then removing topsoil and/ or loose rock if any unless it
is gangue with substantial amount of iron pebbles which can be mined. Mobile screening
 would be the method to harvest rock pebbles that form a belt of 0.5-2m varying from point to
point according to their depositation. However, the depth at which they occur also increases
to the main vein/reef northwards as it dips also in the same direction and altitude.
Reef mining proceeds sharply down with excavation of country rock to expose the vein of
iron ore. Open pit mining is the cheapest method to mine and handle minerals at or near the
earth surface so is the method that results in economical mining of iron ore in Kishushe.
Iron ore vein dips at 60º in N-S direction and strikes at different levels due to geological
formation of the ore due to the thrust force that allowed the hydrothermal fluid solidify on the
fault planes.
Heavy machinery such as hydraulic excavators especially Hyundai 450LC are used for
development and exploitation of the ore. Other machinery include Powerplus bulldozer,
Isuzu tipper truck etc.

Rock sizes of approximately 152.4 - 203.4 mm are fed into jaw crusher. Jaw crusher reduces
the ore sizes to <100mm and fed onto a vibrating screen. Ores sizes10-60 mm are conveyed
directly to the magnetic separators; above 60 mm ores are fed into a cone crusher while less
than 10 mm are magnetically separated using magnetic drums to collect iron fines. Magnetic
minerals are stock piled in readiness for transportation to the port of Mombasa. The non-
magnetic rocks (mainly quartz) are stock piled on a separate area and further crushed into
fines and beneficiated magnetically. The non-magnetic fines are used to refill the excavated
areas. Iron fines are sold to the cement manufacturing industries within Kenya. (Fig 5-10 are
samples of photographs taken at the site in Wanjala). The production of iron ore is estimated
to be 100,000 tons per year on an average of three months a year due to enviromental
challenges (rains). Iron ore exports from Kishushe for the year 2011 and 2010 are as shown
in Table 4.

Mining engineers and geologists in the mine carry out explorations in the surroundings and
upon identification the samples are sent to the lab for analysis on the quality. The iron ores
from Kishushe are mainly of two types: hematite and magnetite. Chemical analysis that has
been carried out on these deposits are as shown in Tables 1 and 2 [10]. It is clear that the ores
and are of good quality. The estimate of the quantity of the ore in the site was not available.

4. Conclusion
There is interest in the country to exploit the iron ore deposits to make steel. However there
is need to estimate the amount of deposits to ascertain that it can sustain steel making plant
and selection of appropriate technology. The beneficiation methods of the local ores must be
known as a part of anticipated processing of the ore to make steel.

In the case of Kishushe the company, (Wanjala Mining Co. Ltd) has actually been mining
and semi-processing the iron ore before exportation. The chemical composition of the ore has
been determined. The company is interested in processing the ore to make steel.
Beneficiation and selection of the most appropriate extraction technology is still a challenge
that needs to be addressed. The beneficiation studies on going are geared towards the
facilitation of Wanjala Mines to make informed decisions on extraction technology. Coal has
been found in ample deposits and can be exploited to facilitate the iron ore processing
industry.
 References

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Industrialization, April 2012.
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International Geological Congress, 1952.
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Practical Aspects of Ore Treatment and Mineral. Elsevier Science and Technology
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www.allmineral.com/de/download/.../Newsletter_ironore_0709.pdf
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 Appendix

Table 1: Chemical analysis of samples from Wanjala (Ataca & Co.)

Fe SiO 2 AlO 3 TiO 2 P S As Sn in %

61.19 10.84 .031 .02 .009 .008 nil .004

63.79 18.12 .082 .07 .005 .011 nil .022

Table 2: Chemical analysis of samples from Wanjala (Mines and Geology Department)

Fe 2 O 3 P 2 O5 TiO 2 S

65.89 3.91 .02 Nil

82.26 Nil .08 Nil

84.66 Nil .08 Nil

Table 3: Summary of coal analysis

Lowest Highest Average

Calorific values 12.6MJ/Kg 29.3 MJ/Kg 18 MJ/Kg

Ash content 7% 42 % 30 %

Volatiles - - 30 %

Sulphur 0.5 % 4% 2.4 %

Table 4: Kishushe iron ore exports

Year Quantity (MT) Value (Kshs) Destination

2011 67,200 341,754,000.00 China

2010 23,318 37,593,800.00 China

Figure 1. Map showing mineral occurance in Kenya (Source: Mines and Geology)
Figure 2: Iron ore occurrence in Kenya
Figure 3: Kishushe off Mombasa-Nairobi road 60Km (Google Maps)
Figure 4: E. African Map Showing Mozambique Belt Figure 5: Stock piled ores

Figure 6: Magnetite ore. Figure 7: Alluvial iron ore pebbles.

 Figure 8: Development and exploitation of reef iron ore.

Figure 9: Site screening. Figure 10: Crusher plant.