What It Is:

• Uniform, hardened spheres (6–16 mm diameter) made from concentrate and binders (e.g., bentonite), fired at 1,200–1,300°C to achieve high strength.

• Iron content: 65–72% Fe.

How It’s Produced:

1. Mixing:

   • Concentrate and binder are mixed and rolled into green pellets.

2. Induration:

   • Drying: Heated to around 300°C to remove moisture.

   • Firing: Heated to about 1,300°C to harden the pellets by oxidizing magnetite to hematite.

   • Cooling: Air-cooled for safe storage and shipping.

Applications:

• Blast Furnaces (BF): Preferred for high efficiency due to low slag formation and uniform size.

• Direct Reduction (DRI): Used with natural gas to produce sponge iron (DRI).

• Shipping: Pellets are dust-free and dense, which lowers freight costs.

Market Insight:

• Premium product: Pellets trade at approximately 30% higher prices than concentrate.

• Top exporters: Brazil, Sweden, and Canada.