Allen, Anthony P.; Forsmo, Sten; Langley, John G.;

Iron ore pelletization

Finely particulate iron ore is pelletized using finely particulate, free flowing, anionic water soluble synthetic polymer having intrinsic viscosity of from 3 to 16 as binder.

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We claim:

1. A process in which iron ore pellets are made by adding binder comprising organic polymer to particulate iron ore having substantially all particles below 250 .mu.m and stirring in the presence of 5 to 15% by weight water (based on total mix) to form a substantially homogeneous moist mixture and pelletising the moist mixture, characterised in that the binder comprises up to 0.2% by weight, based on total mix, of a water soluble synthetic polymer that has intrinsic viscosity 3 to 16 dl/g and that is an anionic polymer of one or more water soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising an anionic monomer and that is added to the iron ore as a dry, free flowing, powder having substantially all particles above 20 .mu.m and below 300 .mu.m.

2. A process according to claim 1 in which the polymer is a copolymer of acrylamide and an ethylenically unsaturated anionic monomer.

3. A process according to claim 1 in which the polymer is a copolymer of sodium acrylate and acrylamide.

4. A process according to claim 1 in which the amount of anionic monomer is from 5 to 60% by weight of the monomers.

5. A process according to claim 1 in which the polymer is a copolymer of 30 to 50% sodium acrylate and 70 to 50% acrylamide.

6. A process according to claim 1 in which the polymer has IV about 4 to about 11 dl/g.

7. A process according to claim 1 in which the polymer has IV of from about 5 to 8 dl/g.

8. A process according to claim 1 in which the polymer is in the form of beads made by reverse phase suspension polymerisation.

9. A process according to claim 1 in which the binder gives a surface tension of above 70 dynes/cm at a concentration in water at 20.degree. C. of 0.075% by weight.

10. A process according to claim 1 in which the amount of polymer is from 0.01 to 0.05% by weight.

11. A process according to claim 1 in which at least 70% by weight of the iron ore has a particle size below 50 .mu.m.

12. A process according to claim 1 in which substantially all the polymer particles are below 150 .mu.m.

13. A process according to claim 1 in which substantially 100% of the polymer particles are below 200 .mu.m and at least 50% are below 100 .mu.m.

14. A process according to claim 1 in which the ore contains 5 to 15% by weight moisture before addition of the polymeric particles.

15. A process according to claim 1 in which the binder comprises 10 to 150%, by weight based on soluble polymer, of a compound selected from urea, sodium acetate, sodium citrate, sodium oxalate, sodium tartrate, sodium benzoate, sodium stearate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium silicate and the corresponding ammonium, potassium, calcium or magnesium salts of the preceding salts and calcium oxide.

16. A process according to claim 15 in which the said compound is selected from sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium citrate and sodium silicate.

17. A process according to claim 15 in which the amount of the said compound is 30 to 100% based on the soluble polymer.

18. A process according to claim 1 in which the binder comprises 10 to 600% by weight, based on soluble polymer, of a cross linked, water swellable, anionic polymer having a particle size below 100 .mu.m.