Physical Properties of Goethite Ore–Carbon Composite Pellets as a Potential Feed for Cast Iron Production

The rise in demand for iron- and steel-based products globally has resulted in the depletion of high-grade iron ores, high energy consumption, and CO₂ emissions. The world is rich in low-grade ores that have not been exploited, and this study aims to develop a feed for cast iron production, goethite ore–carbon composite pellets. A pelletizing disc was used to make the pellets followed by induration in a muffle furnace at 1373 K for 25 min, and the results showed that goethite–carbon composite pellets with the desired physical properties of a drop index greater than 4, dry compression strength greater than 2.2 kg/pellet, and an indurated compression strength above 250 kg/pellet could be produced by controlling the coal, limestone, and ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, avoiding the addition of impurities from bentonite. About 0.4 wt.% ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose could be added to achieve the optimum strength in the composite pellets with a binary basicity of 0.27 and coal addition of 2.5 wt.%. A total metal recovery of 48.46% was achieved from the preliminary smelting experiments on the furnace burden, with a binary basicity of 1.3 at 1673 K with 25 min holding time and a carbon-to-oxygen ratio (wt.%) of 1.4 using an induction furnace. These composite pellets can potentially be used as a raw material for cast iron production towards the decarbonization of the steel industry.