NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN MANAGING TAILINGS FROM IRON ORE MINES

摘要

India ranks as the sixth largest producer of iron ore in the world. The current practice of washing iron ore in India generates as high as 18 million tonnes of tailings (-150 micron) per year. These tailings stored in massive water ponds pose enormous environmental hazards. The these materials or converting them into a value added product thus remain a challenging task for iron ore industry in India. The present paper describes the new developments in managing these tailings by converting them into value added products viz. ceramic floor and wall tiles in both glazed, unglazed and polished varieties for building application. High strength and scratch hardness, energy economy and lower product costs are some of the major benefits derived along with the other properties are presented in this paper. The theoretical aspects behind development of these products have also been touched upon.