The occurrences and geochemical characteristics of thorium in iron ore in the Bayan Obo deposit, Northern China

The Bayan Obo deposit in northern China is an ultra-large Fe–REE–Nb deposit.The occurrences,and geochemical characteristics of thorium in iron ores from the Bayan Obo Main Ore Body were examined using chemical analysis,field emission scanning electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectrometer,and automatic mineral analysis software.Results identified that 91.69%of ThO2 in the combined samples was mainly distributed in rare earth minerals(bastnaesite,huanghoite,monazite;56.43%abundance in the samples),iron minerals(magnetite,hematite,pyrite;20.97%),niobium minerals(aeschynite;14.29%),and gangue minerals(aegirine,riebeckite,mica,dolomite,apatite,fluorite;4.22%).An unidentified portion(4.09%)of ThO2 may occur in other niobium minerals(niobite,ilmenorutile,pyrochlore).Only a few independent minerals of thorium occur in the iron ore samples.Thorium mainly occurs in rare earth minerals in the form of isomorphic substitution.Analyses of the geochemical characteristics of the major elements indicate that thorium mineralization in the Main Ore Body was related to alkali metasomatism,which provided source material and favorable porosity for hydrothermal mineralization.Trace elements such as Sc,Nb,Zr,and Ta have higher correlation coefficients with thorium,which resulted from being related to the relevant minerals formed during thorium mineralization.In addition,correlation analysis of ThO2 and TFe,and REO and TFe in the six types of iron ore samples showed that ThO2 did not always account for the highest distribution rate in rare earth minerals,and the main occurrence minerals of ThO2 were closely related to iron ore types.

Geology and mineralization of the Bayan Obo supergiant carbonatite-type REE-Nb-Fe deposit in Inner Mongolia, China: A review

The Bayan Obo supergiant carbonatite-related rare-earth-element-niobium-iron(REE-Nb-Fe) endogenetic deposit(thereafter as the Bayan Obo deposit), located at 150 km north of Baotou City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is the largest rare-earth element(REE) resource in the world. Tectonically,this deposit is situated on the northern margin of the North China Craton and adjacent to the Xing’anMongolian orogenic belt to the south. The main strata within the mining area include the Neoarchean Se’ertengshan Group and the Mesoproterozoic Bayan Obo Group. Generally, the rare earth, niobium, and iron mineralization within the deposit are intrinsically related to the dolomite carbonatites and the extensive alteration of the country rocks caused by the carbonatite magma intrusion. The alteration of country rocks can be categorized into three types: contact metasomatism(anti-skarn and skarn alteration), fenitization,and hornfelsic alternation. As indicated by previous studies and summarized in this review, the multielement mineralization at Bayan Obo is closely associated with the metasomatic replacement of siliceous country rocks by carbonatite magmatic-hydrothermal fluids. The metasomatic process is comparable to the conventional skarnification that formed due to the intrusion of intermediate-acid magmatic rocks into limestone strata. However, the migration pattern of Si O2, Ca O, and Mg O in this novel metasomatic process is opposite to the skarn alteration. Accordingly, this review delineates, for the first time, an antiskarn metallogenic model for the Bayan Obo deposit, revealing the enigmatic relationship between the carbonatite magmatic-hydrothermal processes and the related iron and rare earth mineralization.Moreover, this study also contributes to a better understanding of the REE-Nd-Fe metallogenetic processes and the related fluorite mineralization at the Bayan Obo deposit.

Reaction characteristics of carbon-bearing pellets of Bayan Obo lean iron ores in a static magnetic field

The use of low-grade,refractory and composite paragenetic mineral resources is necessary for overcoming the shortage of iron ore resources in China.As a solution to the treatment of such iron ores,the direct reduction of carbon-bearing pellets can ensure complete iron removal and the effective enrichment of other high-value elements.Thus,this technology enjoys a broad application prospect.However,there are several problems with low-temperature reduction,such as low iron ore reaction efficiency,long reaction time,and high energy consumption.To improve the low-temperature carbothermic reduction efficiency of iron ores,a static magnetic field with magnetic induction intensity of 1.0 T was introduced.An isothermal reduction experiment was conducted at 1223 K to study the low-temperature self-reduction characteristics of carbon-bearing pellets of Bayan Obo lean iron ores in the static magnetic field.Also,the acting mechanism of the magnetic field was explored from the perspective of the reduction process,reaction efficiency,phase composition,microstructure changes,and dynamic behavior of iron ores.The results showed that the magnetic field can increase the low-temperature reduction rate of carbon-bearing pellets of Bayan Obo lean iron ores.Under the conditions of reduction temperature of 1223 K,magnetic induction intensity of 1.0 T,and reduction time of 60 min,the reduction degree was 92.42%,1.65 times that without a magnetic field.The magnetic field promoted the replacement of Ca^(2+)and Fe^(2+),so that the hard-to-reduce iron-bearing silicates were reduced in the order of Fe2SiO_(4)→(Ca,Na)FeSiO_(4)→FeO→Fe.The magnetic field enabled loose minerals,more pores and cracks,and changes in the growth morphology and distribution position of metallic iron.Compared with the case under the non-magnetic condition,the metallic iron precipitated from the slag phase in a foliated shape,separated from the matrix iron oxides,and grew up at the junction of the slag phase and coke.The magnetic field significantly increased the interfacial chemical reaction rate of the carbothermic reduction of iron ores and reduced the internal diffusion resistance of gas in the product layer.Specifically,the interfacial chemical reaction rate increased by 138%and the internal diffusion coefficient increased by 309%.Therefore,the effect of the magnetic field on the internal diffusion resistance was the main cause for strengthening the low-temperature reduction of iron ores.

包钢白云鄂博特殊矿炼铁技术进步及创新发展(一)

文章对包钢炼铁系统的技术进步进行了总结分析,认为白云鄂博特殊铁矿选矿、烧结、冶炼难题的技术攻关及技术创新,是炼铁生产实现高效、优质、低耗、长寿、环保的根本保障,也是包钢炼铁跨越式发展的技术支撑。

白云矿配比条件下实施全精矿烧结生产实践

文章主要阐述了在包钢以自产白云鄂博铁精矿为主要含铁原料(85%)条件下实施全精矿烧结的生产实践。结果表明:实施全精矿烧结后,为保证料层透气性,采取提高混合料料温、改善混合料制粒效果,调整布料纵向偏析以及调整松料器角度等措施,使烧结利用系数维持在原有水平;烧结固体燃耗指标升高6. 5 kg/t,烧结矿Fe O含量升高,烧结矿强度较实施前降低0. 15个百分点。