Method of beneficiating reducing and briquetting iron ore

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PREPARING AN IRON CONCENTRATE FROM AN ORE WHICH CONTAINS IRON OXIDE AND SILICOUS GANGUE COMPRISING MIXING CRUSHED ORE WITH COMPLETELY NON-COOKING AND HIGHLY REACTIVE PEAT CHAR IN PROPORTIONS SUFFICIENT TO FURNISH AT LEAST 50 PERCENT EXCESS CARBON OVER THAT REQUIRED FOR COMPLETE REDUCTION OF THE IRON OXIDE PRESENT IN THE ORE, INTRODUCING THE MIXTURE OF ORE AND PEAT CHAR TO A RETORT, HEATING THE RETORT EXTERNALLY FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD TO MAINTAIN THE MIXTURE OF ORE AND PEAT CHAR AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 1600 TO 2000 F. WHILE CONDUCTING GASES THEREFORM WITHOUT INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL GAS FROM OUTSIDE, THEREBY REDUCING THE IRON OXIDE TO METALLIC IRON AND CARBURIZING THIS IRON, THE CARBON CONTENT OF THE CARBUZIED IRON BEING AT LEAST 0.65 PERCENT, RAPIDLY COOLING THE REDUCED PRODUCT TO RENDER THE IRON PRATICLES NONMALLEABLE WHEREBY THEY ARE EASILY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE GANGUE PARTICLES, GRINDING THE REDUCED PRODUCT TO LIBERATION SIZE, MAGNETICALLY SEPARATING IRON PARTICLES IN THE PRODUCT FROM GANGUE PARTICLES THEREIN, AND AGGLOMERATING THE IRON PARTICLES.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PREPARING AN IRON CONCENTRATE FROM AN ORE WHICH CONTAINS IRON OXIDE AND SILICOUS GANGUE COMPRISING MIXING CRUSHED ORE WITH COMPLETELY NON-COOKING AND HIGHLY REACTIVE PEAT CHAR IN PROPORTIONS SUFFICIENT TO FURNISH AT LEAST 50 PERCENT EXCESS CARBON OVER THAT REQUIRED FOR COMPLETE REDUCTION OF THE IRON OXIDE PRESENT IN THE ORE, INTRODUCING THE MIXTURE OF ORE AND PEAT CHAR TO A RETORT, HEATING THE RETORT EXTERNALLY FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD TO MAINTAIN THE MIXTURE OF ORE AND PEAT CHAR AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 1600 TO 2000 F. WHILE CONDUCTING GASES THEREFORM WITHOUT INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL GAS FROM OUTSIDE, THEREBY REDUCING THE IRON OXIDE TO METALLIC IRON AND CARBURIZING THIS IRON, THE CARBON CONTENT OF THE CARBUZIED IRON BEING AT LEAST 0.65 PERCENT, RAPIDLY COOLING THE REDUCED PRODUCT TO RENDER THE IRON PRATICLES NONMALLEABLE WHEREBY THEY ARE EASILY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE GANGUE PARTICLES, GRINDING THE REDUCED PRODUCT TO LIBERATION SIZE, MAGNETICALLY SEPARATING IRON PARTICLES IN THE PRODUCT FROM GANGUE PARTICLES THEREIN, AND AGGLOMERATING THE IRON PARTICLES.