Cost-effective integrated strategy for the fabrication of hard-magnet barium hexaferrite powders from low-grade barite ore

Ultrafine barium hexaferrite（BaFe12O19） powders were synthesized from the metallurgical extracts of low-grade Egyptian barite ore via a co-precipitation route. Hydrometallurgical treatment of barite ore was systematically studied to achieve the maximum dissolution efficiency of Fe（～99.7%） under the optimum conditions. The hexaferrite precursors were obtained by the co-precipitation of BaS produced by the reduction of barite ore with carbon at 1273 K and then dissolved in diluted HCl and FeCl3 solution at pH 10 using NaOH as a base; the product was then annealed at 1273 K in an open atmosphere. The effect of Fe^3＋/Ba^2＋ molar ratio and the addition of hydrogen peroxide（H2O2） on the phase structure, crystallite size, morphology, and magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. Single-phase BaFe（12）O（19） powder was obtained at an Fe^3＋/Ba^2＋ molar ratio of 8.00. The formed powders exhibited a hexagonal platelet-like structure. Good maximum magnetization（48.3 A×m^2×kg^–1） was achieved in the material prepared at an Fe^3＋/Ba^2＋ molar ratio of 8.0 in the presence of 5% H2O2 as an oxidizer and at 1273 K because of the formation of a uniform, hexagonal-shaped structure.

Sintering Properties and Optimal Blending Schemes of Iron Ores

In order to obtain good sintering performance, it is important to understand sintering properties of iron ores. Sintering properties including chemical composition, granulation and high-temperature behaviors of ores from China, Brazil and Australia. Furthermore, several indices were defined to evaluate sintering properties of iron ores. The results show that： for chemical composition, Brazilian ores present high TFe, low SiOz, and low Alz03 con- tent. For granulation, particle diameter ratio of Brazilian ores are high; particle intermediate fraction of Chinese con- centrates are low; and average particle size and clay type index of Australian ores are high. For high-temperature properties, ores from China, Brazil and Australia present different characteristics. Ores from different origins should be mixed together to obtain good high-temperature properties. According to the analysis of each ore＇s sintering prop- erties, an ore blending scheme （Chinese concentrates 20 ^-1- Brazilian ores 400//oo -k Australian ores 40 ~） was sugges- ted. Moreover, sinter pot test using blending mix was performed, and the results indicated that the ore blending scheme led to good sintering performance and sinter quality.