Sulphur can have the impact of making steel brittle and primarily enters the blast furnace through coke and coal injections. LOI is the weight loss when volatile components bound in the mineral structure are driven off by heating. Iron ore with a higher LOI impacts the efficiency of the sintering process though increasing fuel rates and lower product yield.

Higher levels of alumina require the lime to silica ratio of the BF slag to be higher (meaning more lime or limestone has to be added to the BF burden). Silica levels above 5.5% are considered high, and can raise the blast furnace slag volumes and the fuel rate (and in turn, the coke consumption rate). Global producers have a range of between 0 and 3.5% alumina content in their iron ore.

To derive the estimated realized price per tonne of iron ore sold, index prices need to be adjusted for the value in use premium, net of ocean freight and other transport costs. For example, the Platts 62% CFR North China index represents an iron ore price paid upon transfer of goods at the port in North China. The Feasibility Study estimates a value in use premium of US$14.38/t over LOM and ocean freight costs of US$15.12/t over LOM to derive a net FOB Pointe Noire realized price off of the base Platts 62% CFR North China price assumption of US$69.80/t over LOM.

High phosphorus levels in iron ore generates high phosphorous in the pig iron produced by blast furnaces. High phosphorous in hot metal produced by BOFs increases steel making costs by increasing dephosphorization reagent consumption, adding additional processing steps to the steelmaking process and reducing the ability of the furnace operator to recycle BOF slag which can adversely affect the cost and quality of the steel. Despite dephosphorization steps in steelmaking, high phosphorous content of the iron ore can ultimately limit the steel grades that can be produced.

The silica-alumina ratio of iron ore is an important quality to BF operators because incorrect ratios can increase the viscosity of the slag in the BF and affect the ability to tap slag out of the BF.

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  Iron Ore Demand >>
Iron ore products come in many varieties (pellet, lump, concentrate, sinter feed, etc.), quality ranges (judged based on presence of deleterious elements like phosphorus, alumina, silica), grades (iron percentage)... More >>

  Iron Ore Supply >>
AME estimates global 2017 iron ore supply at approximately 2.1 billion dmt, a 3% growth from 2016. The growth is attributed to new projects as well as growth from smaller producers in major producing regions... More >>

  Iron Ore Pricing >>
Iron ore was historically priced through annual negotiations between the world's largest steelmakers and their suppliers. However, in recent years, the Platts 62% Fe Fines CFR North China... More >>

  Iron Ore Types >>
Iron ore comes in many chemical formulations (minerals), with the three most common forms being hematite, magnetite and goethite. While iron ore deposits were traditionally predominantly hematite... More >>

  Iron Ore Quality >>
Iron ore comes in many chemical formulations (minerals), with the three most common forms being hematite, magnetite and goethite. While iron ore deposits were traditionally predominantly hematite... More >>

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