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Pellets are a processed form of iron ore utilized in the steel industry, specifically designed for direct application in blast furnaces or direct reduction plants. These pellets are spherical in shape, with diameters ranging from 8 to 18 millimeters.
Processed Taconite pellets as used in the steelmaking industry, with a US Quarter shown to scale. Pelletizing iron ore is undertaken due to the excellent physical and metallurgical properties of iron ore pellets. [1] Iron ore pellets are spheres of typically 6–16 mm (0.24–0.63 in) to be used as raw material for blast furnaces.
Direct reduction processes can be divided roughly into two categories: gas-based and coal-based. In both cases, the objective of the process is to remove the oxygen contained in various forms of iron ore (sized ore, concentrates, pellets, mill scale, furnace dust, etc.) in order to convert the ore to metallic iron, without melting it (below 1,200 °C (2,190 °F)).
The demand for iron ore pellets is closely tied to the global steel industry. Iron ore pellets are a critical raw material in steelmaking, used to enhance the efficiency of the steel production process. The leading producers of iron ore pellets include countries with significant iron ore resources, such as China, India, and Iran.
Steel is made from iron and carbon. Cast iron is a hard, brittle material that is difficult to work, whereas steel is malleable, relatively easily formed and versatile. On its own, iron is not strong, but a low concentration of carbon – less than 1 percent, depending on the kind of steel – gives steel strength and other important properties.
Processed taconite pellets as used in the steelmaking industry, with a US quarter (0.96 in./24.3 mm) shown for scale. Iron mining in the United States produced 48 million metric tons of iron ore in 2019. [1] Iron ore was the third-highest-value metal mined in the United States, after gold and copper. [2]