Process for pelletizing ores

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PELLETS OF FINELY DIVIDED OXIDIC IRON CONCENTRATES COMPRISING MIXING SAID FINELY DIVIDED OXIDIC IRON CONCENTRATES, WATER AND A STARCH BINDER FOR SAID CONCENTRATES TO FORM A PLASTIC MIXTURE, BALLING SAID MIXTURE INTO GREEN COMPACTS AND SUBJECTING SAID GREEN COMPACTS TO A THERMAL HARDENING TREATMENT DURING WHICH SAID COMPACTS ARE DRIED AND THEN INDURATED TO PELLET FORM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MIXING SAID FINELY DIVIDED OXIDIC IRON CONCENTRATES WITH A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF A STARCH BINDER CONSISTING OF AN EXPANDED CEREAL PRODUCT HAVING STARCH GRUNULES WHICH ARE DISCERNIBLE AS UNRUPTURED ENTITIES, AND ARE GREATLY DISTENDED AND SWOLLEN, SAID STARCH GUANULES BEING COMPLETELY DISORGANIZED INTERNALLY AND HAVING ALL REMMANTS OF POLAR CROSSES REMOVED WHEN VIEWED UNDER POLARIZED LIGHT, SAID STARCH GRANULES BEING READILY SEPARABLE FROM ONE ANOTHER WHEN MOISTENED BY THE WATER AVAILABLE FROM THE MOISTENED OXIDIC IRON CONCENTRATES, WHEREBY CLUSTERING OF PARTIALLY FORMED GREEN COMPACTS DURING THE BALLING PROCESS IS INHIBITED.