Effect of pyroxenite and olivine minerals as source of MgO in hematite pellet on improvement of metallurgical properties

Pelletization of hematite ore requires high fineness and very high induration temperature（~1325 ℃） owing to its poor diffusion bonding unlike magnetite ore. Further, high-alumina hematite pellets show very high reduction degradation index（RDI） during low temperature（500-650 ℃） reduction due to their volume expansion and lattice distortion. Noamundi（India） hematite ore contains very high Al2O3（2.3%） with adverse ratio of alumina to silica（~2） for which, it shows very high RDI. In this work, the acid pellets prepared from Noamundi ore fines of optimum Blaine fineness show good cold crushing strength（CCS）. However, it shows very high RDI（77%）. In order to reduce RDI, Mg O in form of two different gangue-containing fluxes, such as pyroxenite and olivine in varying quantities has been added. The optimum requirement and performance of these fluxes has been examined and compared. Both pyroxenite and olivine fluxed pellets show significant lowering of RDI（26% and 23%, respectively） and improvement of other properties, viz CCS, swelling indices etc with good reducibility（70%-77%）. Finally, a good quality acidic hematite pellet was developed from high-alumina ore without using any lime which is very important charge material in combination of basic sinter in blast furnace.

Trace element composition of peridotites from the southern Mariana forearc:Insights into the geochemical effects of serpentinization and/or seafloor weathering

Peridotites from the southern Mariana forearc were sampled on the landward trench slope of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) subduction zone by dredging.These mantle wedge peridotites underwent hydration by fluid derived from a dehydrated descending slab,and later interacted with seawater after emplacement at or near the seafloor.This study investigates how these two different rock-fluid interaction processes influenced trace element distribution in the southern Mariana forearc peridotites.We measured trace element concentrations of peridotites from the southern Mariana forearc.The southern Mariana forearc peridotites are characterized by a distinct seawater-like REE pattern with an obvious negative Ce anomaly,and La shows good correlation with other REEs (except Ce).In addition,there is a great enrichment of U,Pb,Sr and Li elements,which show a distinct positive anomaly relative to adjacent elements in the multi-element diagram.For the seawater-like REE pattern,we infer that REEs are mainly influenced by seawater during peridotite-seawater interactions after their emplacement at or near the seafloor,by serpentinization or by marine weathering.Furthermore,the anomalous behavior of Ce,compared with other rare earth elements in these samples,may indicate that they have undergone reactions involving Ce (IV) when the peridotites interacted with seawater.Positive U,Pb,Sr and Li anomalies are inferred to be related to seawater and/or fluids released during dehydration of the subducting slab.

Surface microstructures of lunar soil returned by Chang’e-5 mission reveal an intermediate stage in space weathering process

The lunar soils evolution over time is mainly caused by space weathering that includes the impacts of varying-sized meteoroids and charged particles implantation of solar/cosmic winds as well.It has long been established that space weathering leads to the formation of outmost amorphous layers(50–200 nm in thickness)embedded nanophase iron(npFe^(0))around the mineral fragments,albeit the origin of the npFe^(0) remains controversial.The Chang’e-5(CE-5)mission returned samples feature the youngest mare basalt and the highest latitude sampling site,providing an opportunity to seek the critical clues for understanding the evolution of soils under space weathering.Here,we report the surface microstructures of the major minerals including olivine,pyroxene,anorthite,and glassy beads in the lunar soil of CE-5.Unlike the previous observations,only olivine in all crystals is surrounded by a thinner outmost amorphous SiO_(2) layer(∼10 nm thick)and embedded wüstite nanoparticles FeO(np-FeO,3–12 nm in size)instead of npFe^(0).No foreign volatile elements deposition layer and solar flare tracks can be found on the surface or inside the olivine and other minerals.This unique rim structure has not been reported for any other lunar,terrestrial,Martian,or meteorite samples so far.The observation of wüstite FeO and the microstructures support the existence of an intermediate stage in space weathering for lunar minerals by thermal decomposition.