Processing of low-quality manganese-containing raw materials to obtain pellets for production ferromanganese alloys. Review

Abstract

Substandard ores and technogenic wastes can be considered as an additional source of raw materials due to the limited resources of mineral raw materials with a high content of manganese. The article presents an overview of studies intended to process low-quality manganese-containing raw materials by beneficiation of them with the production of manganese concentrates, agglomeration of manganese fines with the formation of pellets, and smelting of agglomerates into ferromanganese alloys. The main raw material sources of manganese are characterized. Manganese ores are divided into three main types - oxide, siliceous and carbonate ones. The method to beneficiate the raw material is chosen depending on the raw material type. The application areas of manganese alloys are described - they are used in the form of ferromanganese and ferrosilicomanganese to produce steel and cast iron in ferrous metallurgy; as an alloying metal in bronze, brass, most aluminum and magnesium alloys in non-ferrous metallurgy. The beneficiation processes for low-quality manganese-containing raw materials - sub-standard ores and technogenic wastes are considered. A promising direction in the beneficiation of ferromanganese ores is magnetic separation. The extraction of manganese from technogenic sources - ore fines, sludge tailings of processing plants is of great ecological and practical importance. Methods for agglomeration of manganese fines with the production of pellets, briquettes, the influence of the content of acidic and basic oxides, the composition of binder materials on the properties of pellets are described. Data on the influence of various factors on the manganese ferroalloy smelting process, the reduction of manganese ore pellets, and the phase transformations occurring during the process are specified.