Iron Ore: Mineralogy, Processing and Environmental Sustainability

Iron ore is regarded as the second most important commodity behind oil. As an essential input for the production of crude steel, iron ore feeds the world's largest trillion-dollar-a-year metal market and is the backbone of the global infrastructure. In order to satisfy our growing demand for steel products, world iron ore production has increased drastically since 2000. As a result, traditional high grade iron ore reserves are depleting significantly and many new iron ore deposits of lower grade and more complicated mineralogy are being mined.

Since publication of the first edition these significant market changes and technological developments in the iron ore and steel industries prompted the need for a need edition to be produced to explore these new ore types and the development of more efficient processes/technologies to upgrade and utilise the new ore types while minimising their environmental foot prints. Among the updates to this new edition are the inclusion of all new case studies and technologies; the addition of new chapters on chemical analysis of iron ore; thermal and dry beneficiation of iron ore; and discussions of alternative iron making technologies. Also, information on recycling solid wastes and P-bearing slag generated in the steel mills, sustainable mining, and low emission iron making technologies from regional perspectives, particularly Europe and Japan have been included in Section 4. This work will be a valuable resource for any individuals involved in the iron ore industry.