IRON ORE SINTERING Characterization by calorimetry and thermal analysis

Differential scanning and high temperature reaction calorimetry have been used to characterize a series of natural iron ore and flux samples commonly used during iron ore sintering. Most iron ore samples were shown to contain measurable quantities of goethite, with a characteristic dehydration peak in DSC and TG between 200 and 400 degrees C. At higher temperatures, all samples decomposed to produce magnetite with an accompanying mass loss in the TG profile due to the evolution of oxygen. High temperature reaction calorimetry has been used to measure the heat of solution of the ore in the melt formed during iron ore sintering. The dehydration and calcination of iron ore and flux samples was also examined using high-temperature reaction calorimetry. The results support the DSC/TG findings.