Process Development History of Clear Hills Ore
The Federal Mines Branch in Ottawa, believing the Clear Hills iron ore would respond well to a process developed by R-N Corporation, excavated a 5,286 ton bulk sample from beneath 15m of overburden in the Swift Creek (now Rambling Creek) segment of the deposit which was shipped to the R-N pilot plant in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 1960s.
The pilot plant successfully produced, after a 5-day kiln reduction, 111 dry tons of iron (90% Fe) in hot briquette form (HBI). In 1962 C. S. Samis and J. Gregory published the results of the work in a paper titled “The Reduction of Clear Hills Iron Ore by the R-N Process”. Although the R-N process produced a high grade product suitable for steel making without processing in a blast furnace, high energy requirements and low iron prices at that time generated low rates of return.
The Alberta Research Council (ARC) and CANMET was contracted in the early 70s to refine the earlier reduction work on the Clear Hills iron ore and lower energy requirements. Known as the Grain Enlargement process, the work was progressed through the laboratory stage to a continuous lab pilot plant. Both recovery and purity of iron was at a very high level (97% Fe, 0.48% acid solubles) and was considered suitable for use in a basic oxygen furnace or an electric arc furnace for making steel.
Of note, the GE Process reduced the energy usage by 75% compared to the R-N process, considerably improving the economics. In addition, phosphorus levels were lowered to within allowable limits after reduction. The results of the work were published by the ARC in 1984 by E. F. Bertram titled “Direct Reduction Beneficiation Process for Fine Grained Iron Ores”.
Current Iron and Vanadium Product Development
Ironstone is refining a multi-stage direct reduction/iron segration and vanadium extraction process that is designed to produce iron units (95% Fe in hot briquette form) and vanadium pentoxide for sale into the global steel producer and scrap industry markets, and growing energy storage market.
The company is incorporating the most technologically advanced equipment and processes developed by industry leaders under the supervision of HATCH, a globally recognized engineering consulting firm, based in Mississauga, Ontario.
Ironstone is currently conducting tests of its Clear Hills ore at two highly recognized pilot plant facilities and ancilliary labs. A continuous pilot campaign is planned for Q3 2012 which will result in a preliminary process flow sheet for iron reduction and segregation. Ironstone plans to commission its initial Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) at the end of its iron process piloting phase expected to conclude in Q4 2012.
Further pilot work in Q1 2013 will focus on vanadium pentoxide concentration of the iron-segregated tails.
Following the piloting phase of process and product development, Ironstone plans to build a demonstration pilot plant in the Clear Hills in order to determine final operational parameters and production scale, as well as produce product samples for commercial testing by prospective buyers.
Ironstone iron ore stockpile on its Hines Creek site. Ore will be used in processing trials and pilot plant trials.