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Processing of Low-Grade Chromite Ore for Ferroalloy Production: A Case Study from Ghutrigaon, Odisha, India

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Abstract

The low-grade siliceous chromite ore from Ghutrigaon, Odisha, India, containing ~ 16% Cr2O3, with Cr/Fe ratio of 1.97 and ~ 55% of SiO2, does not find any use in metallurgical industry and hence considered as waste. Mineralogical investigation indicates the presence of chromite and quartz as major minerals with minor fuchsite and kaolinite. The beneficiation studies reveal that the product can be enriched to a Cr/Fe ratio of 3.35 and 3.02 by gravity concentration (wet shaking table) and wet high intensity magnetic separation, respectively. Tiny Cr-grains within quartz and fine silica dusts within chromite inhibit liberation of chromite resulting in poor response to physical beneficiation. As an alternative, processing of ore through pyro-metallurgical route was evaluated. Chromite fines mixed with carbon and lime in the form of pellets/granules was charged to a plasma reactor. In about ten minutes, the metal globules/prills were separated from the slag in 1:6 ratio. The metal, examined through XRD and optical microscope, was found to be ferrochrome alloy. In situ EDAX analysis indicated the metal to have 61.51% Cr, 26.52% Fe and 13.1% C with minor silica (2.42%), and the slag was composed of Ca2Al2SiO7 which revealed that both metal and slag so obtained could suitably be used in different industries.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) for the financial support to one of the authors (AKD) in the form of JRF[09/1036(0014)/2019-EMR I]. The authors would like to thank The Director of Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT)-CSIR for providing necessary facilities to carry out the various experiments. The authors would also like to acknowledge Ravenshaw University for providing necessary laboratory facilities for carrying out the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha, 753003, India

    Asish Kumar Das, Somnath Khaoash, Birendra Kumar Mohapatra & Patitapaban Mishra

  2. Department of Mineral Processing, CSIR- Institute of Minerals and Material Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751013, India

    Sarada Prasad Das & Nilima Dash

  3. CSIR- Institute of Minerals and Material Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751013, India

    Saroj Kumar Singh & Jayakrushna Mohanty

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  1. Asish Kumar Das
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Correspondence to Somnath Khaoash.

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Das, A.K., Khaoash, S., Das, S.P. et al. Processing of Low-Grade Chromite Ore for Ferroalloy Production: A Case Study from Ghutrigaon, Odisha, India. Trans Indian Inst Met 73, 2309–2320 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-020-02032-5

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