Utilization of pyrite ash wastes by pelletization process

Abstract

In Turkey, pyrite, copper melting gases and sulfur are used as a raw material in sulfuric acid production. Pyrite ashes are obtained as a result of the sulfuric acid production process during the roasting of pyrite ores. These wastes are generally landfilled or dumped into the sea. Pyrite ash wastes can be utilized as a raw material in the production of iron ore, and thus environmental pollution can be avoided; however, these wastes need to achieve certain physical and chemical properties before they are used. Pyrite ashes are agglomerated into pellets to allow them acquire the required properties for use as iron ore in a blast furnace. The essential parameters affecting the pelletization of pyrite ashes are studied using bentonite as a binder. The metallurgical properties of pyrite ash, bentonite, a mixture of pyrite ash and bentonite, and sintered pellets are studied using X-ray analyses. Wet-drop, wet-crush, dry-crush and sintered-crush tests are carried out to investigate the strength of the pyrite ash wastes pellets prepared from feeds with different sieve size and bentonite content. The results of this analysis demonstrate that pyrite ashes can be agglomerated into pellets and used as feed for the blast furnace in the iron production industry. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.