STEEL & METALLURGY :: Abstract for April 2009 Issue

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Beneficiation Studies on Chiria Iron Ore
By GVRNSS Sarma, Ranjita Swain* and R. Bhima Rao, SAIL, RMD, Kiribura and IMMT, Bhubaneswar

ABSTRACT
On one hand the population in India is increasing and the demand for steel is also increasing for their needs, and hence exploration, exploitation and processing of low grade iron ore are essential. In this paper, a low grade iron ore (51.3% Fe) from Chiria has been subjected to stage comminution and magnetic separation. The results of these studies indicate that product obtained contain 68.7% by weight with 64.1% Fe and 86% recovery. This product is suitable for industries.

Brief Study of Coking Coal Beneficiation at BCCL and CCL – at the Changed Scenario of Requirement of SAIL
By B. Rai, General Manager, G. Senapati, Sr. Manager & R. Tiwari, Manager Central Coal Supply Organisation, SAIL, Dhanbad

ABSTRACT
Existing coking coal washeries of BCCL and CCL were conceptualised and designed in the sixties, while coal mining was predominantly underground and mining used to be carried out at the upper seam (X seam to XVII seam) containing high grade coal. However, over the years production from underground has been declining and there has been drastic change in quality of input raw coal feed to washery because of higher percentage of open cast coal. Most of the coal washeries have also become old, where no major revamping / technological upgradation has been done. As a result, wide fluctuation in washed coal quality is observed which is creating immense difficulties for the customer SAIL plants to maintain the quality of coal blend.
SAIL as a major customer of coking coal from CIL washeries is desperately looking for higher despatch and consistent quality to meet the steadily growing demand of coking coal. However, over the years despatch of coking coal to SAIL plants has been declining as well as fluctuation in quality has been increasing.
The present paper deals with the scope for enhancing the despatches and improvement of quality to meet the requirement of customer SAIL in line with our vision 2020.

Iron Ore : A Potential Raw Material for Iron and Steel
By Dr. A.L. Kundu

ABSTRACT
Iron ore is the most important basic raw material that is required for making iron and steel which provides foundation for industrial development of a nation. It is an abundantly available mineral in the world. India is endowed with huge reserves of a good quality iron ore with the requisite specification for iron steel industry. Presently, India mines around 150 million tonnes of iron ore per annum out of which 80 million tonnes are exported and balance is utilised indigenously to produce about 50 million tonnes of steel per annum. Chemical and physical properties of iron ore are key factors of iron ore trade and serve as important indices for blast furnace iron making and DR operations. Strength, size consistency and metallurgical properties (reducibility or reactivity) and RDI also play vital role in determining blast furnace/DR furnaces productivity and quality of the product.

Meeting Coking And Non-Coking Coal Requirements For Sponge Iron And Steel Industry In India
By Mr. Partha S. Bhattacharya Chairman, Coal India Limited

ABSTRACT
Coal plays a very important role in Indian as well as global energy scenario. Of all fossil fuels, coal is by far the most abundantly found fuel on the face of the earth. This is especially true for India where abundant coal reserves make it the only viable energy option in the long run. More than 60% of the electricity generated in the country is from combustion of coal. In view of coal being most financially viable option for thermal power generation at various locations in the country and renewable energy not expected to play any significant role in near future, coal will remain the mainstay of India’s energy sector.
The Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) Document provides a roadmap for achieving the energy needs, envisaging a major role for the coal sector. This reinforces the earlier findings of the High Powered Fuel Policy committee set up in early seventies. The coal demand as projected in the IEP document is expected to rise at an accelerated pace and in 2031-32 be within the range of 1600 million ton (least coal consumption strategy) or 2600 million ton (continuing the present trend). As compared to current consumption of 460 million ton per annum, this represents a CAGR of 5.11 to 7.17%. A CAGR of 6.05% shall be required to support coal consumption @ 2000 mtpa in 2031-32..

Meeting Raw Material Requirements to achieve 200 MT of Steel Production in India by 2020
By Raghavendra Gupta, General Manager (Planning), SAIL-RMD

ABSTRACT
With a capacity of over 14 M.Te of crude steel, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) is India’s largest and one of the leading steel producers in the world. SAIL owns and operates 5 integrated steel plants BSP at Bhilai, DSP at Durgapur, RSP at Rourkela, BSL at Bokaro & ISP at Burnpur and 3 alloy steel plants at Salem, Durgapur & Bhadravati making stainless and alloy steels.
With extensively developed facilities for mining and processing all major raw materials required for iron making like Iron ore, Limestone, Dolomite and Coking coal and excavating more than 30 mtpa of ROM, SAIL is the second largest mining organization in the country after Coal India Limited. While 100% requirement of iron ore (about 25 mtpa of ROM) is met through captive source, fluxes are partially purchased from domestic market. Major requirement of coal is procured from global/ domestic market.

Thailand Steel Industry in 2007 – What’s next?
By our special correspondent

ABSTRACT
After recording an all time high in apparent steel consumption of 14.1 million tonnes in 2005, Thailand’s steel industry has been on a downward trend largely due to political uncertainties as well as the problem in the southern part of Thailand. Steel consumption in the country dropped by 5% to 13.4 million tonnes in 2006. This negative trend has continued into 2007, resulting in a further contraction of apparent steel consumption at -6% y-o-y to 12.6 million tonnes.