Concentrate

What is Iron Concentrate?

Iron concentrate is a product obtained from processing raw iron ore. During this process, a large portion of impurities in the ore (such as silica, phosphorus, and sulfur) is removed, and the iron grade is increased. As a result, the concentrate contains a higher percentage of iron (typically around 66–69%) and is suitable for the next stages of steel production.

Production Stages of Iron Concentrate

1. Mining iron ore from open-pit or underground mines
2. Crushing and grinding the ore into fine particles
3. Beneficiation using physical and chemical methods such as magnetic separation and flotation
4. Dewatering and filtration to reduce moisture content
5. Storage and transportation to pelletizing or direct reduction units

Characteristics of Iron Concentrate

• High iron content (Fe ≈ 66–69%)
• Low sulfur and phosphorus levels
• Fine particle size (powder form)
• Uniform quality and chemical composition

Applications of Iron Concentrate

• Main feedstock for pelletizing
• Supplying raw material for direct reduction (DRI) units
• Used in blast furnaces for producing pig iron
• Improving quality and efficiency of steel production

Advantages

• Higher efficiency in steel production
• Lower smelting costs due to impurity removal
• Easier storage and transportation compared to raw iron ore

Iron Concentrate Production in Iran

Thanks to rich iron ore reserves in Iran , Iran is one of the leading producers of iron concentrate in the Middle East. Most of the country’s production is consumed in domestic pelletizing and steelmaking plants.