

Magnetite concentrate from Sino Iron is a premium iron ore product with high grade and lower impurities such as alumina and phosphorus. There is a strong demand in China for this type of product, as it is an ideal material for pellet making – the preferred feed in the steelmaking process.
Before processing, which is done through beneficiation at Sino Iron, magnetite iron ore is lower in iron content than the iron ore traditionally mined in the Australian industry - hematite. ‘Direct Shipping Ore’ (DSO) hematite mining requires very little processing prior to shipping. Magnetite ore has an iron content of between 24-40% Fe, but once it’s processed into a concentrate, it is considerably higher in iron content than most DSO (about 65% Fe) and has exceptionally low impurity levels.
The concentrate product, once turned into pellets, becomes a premium feedstock for steelmaking. When used in sintering, the concentrate can improve the sintering performance and lower energy consumption.
Some key advantages of using magnetite pellets in a blast furnace are improvements in efficiency and reduction in energy consumption. This leads to lower carbon emissions over the steel production cycle, delivering better overall environmental outcomes.