Iron Ore
With an efficient and large iron ore resource industry, Western Australia exports in excess of 130 million tonnes to world markets. In 1979 AMMTEC commenced operations with iron ore testwork and even today Australia's large iron ore mining companies remain among the largest of AMMTEC's individual clients.
Sample Preparation
AMMTEC has available a pilot scale crushing and screening plant for the processing of bulk winze samples. Extensive crushing, screening and splitting facilities are available for the production of accurate, representative test samples.
Tumble Strength
This testwork provides a measure of the behaviour of the burden material under load, subject to impact and abrasive forces.
Shatter Test
The shatter test is often used in evaluating physical strength of furnace burden, similar to the tumble test. Material suitable for the blast furnace is subjected to four drops from 2 metres, after which the products are collected and screened. The percentage of material + 10 mm is regarded as the Shatter Index. This index is also used to evaluate competency of material during shipping and handling.
Reducibility Test
The main objective of blast furnace technology is to convert iron oxides into relatively pure iron, or pig iron, by means of a series of reduction processes. In general, blast furnace operators prefer iron oxides (as either lump ore or agglomerated fines sinter) that are highly susceptible to reduction processes. The procedure for determining reducibility entails a reduction temperature of 900°C at which the burden material of a specified size fraction is reduced by a gas consisting of 30% CO and 70% N2.
Reduction Disintegration Index
The RDI studies the effect of the transformation of hematite to magnetite at 550°C in an atmosphere of CO and N2.
Midrex Acceptance Test
A 500 gram sample of -19 +10 material is subjected to reduction in a standard Linder apparatus (no lifters) at a rotation speed of 10 rpm. The degree of metallisation and the fines generation are determined on the sponge iron product.
Decrepitation Test
The thermal decrepitation test method is that established in December 1965 by the Committee for Overseas Iron and Steelmaking Raw Materials of Japan. The charge can be placed in a tray with a lid and inserted into a muffle furnace or alternatively it may be placed into a Gakusin tube and inserted into a vertical tube furnace. The test is performed in quadruplicate using 500 grams of -25 +19mm sample per single determination.
Beneficiation
Beneficiation capabilities include magnetic separation, heavy media, heavy liquid separation, flotation, tabling, jigging, spiralling and cyclone deslime.
Sizing and chemical analysis
True, apparent and bulk SG
Comminution
Bond Abrasion and Bond Ball Mill Work Indices can be determined.