1

SAMARCO
TECHNICAL
INFORMATION
2 3

INDEX

COMPANY PROFILE 4

Mission, Vision and Values 6

Samarco Operations in Brazil 7

Sustainable development 8

Fourth Pellet Plant Project (P4P) 10

PRODUCTION PROCESS 12

Mining 14

Concentration Process 17

Pipeline 19

Pelletizing Process 21

Stockyard and Port Operations 26

samarco sales distribution 32

Location of customers around the globe 34

Sales Evolution - WMT 35

samarco PRODUCTS 36

Samarco Pellets Characteristics 38

Samarco’s Laboratories 43

Pilot Plant 44

Test Methods / ISO Standards 49

4 5

Company
profile
6 7
Mission, Vision
and Values
Mission
We are a Brazilian company which produces high quality
iron ore for the global steel industry. We strive to improve
people’s living conditions and well-being and to promote
social, economic and environmental development through
the responsible utilization of natural resources and the
construction of lasting relationships based on value
generation.
Vision
To be a mining company leader among pellets producers
and recognized as a world class organization.
Values
Our actions are guided by principles of justice, esteem for life
and collective well-being, respect for people, commitment
and surpassing expected results.
We establish transparent, lasting relationships based on
ethics and aimed at generating value for all stakeholders.
Creativity, associated with a continuous pursuit of
technological development, provide the delivery of quality
and reliability in products and services and are seen as
indispensable attributes for our perpetuity.
Samarco operations
in Brazil
With two industrial units – one in Mariana/Ouro Preto, in the
State of Minas Gerais, and the other in Anchieta, on the coast
of Espírito Santo – Samarco is a Brazilian company equally
owned by Vale and BHP Billiton which has been in the mining
business since 1977. Its production process includes mining,
beneficiation, transportation, pelletizing and outshipment of
iron ore, with products sold to over 20 countries in Europe,
Asia, Africa/Middle East and the Americas.
Samarco owns two pipelines and a seaport terminal, in
addition to three sales offices (Brazil, Amsterdam and Hong
Kong) and two hydropower plants which supply 26% of the
Company’s electric energy needs. This overall structure,
directly operated by Samarco, assures an integrated, cost-
effective production process as well as autonomy in terms of
sales of iron ore pellets on the seaborne market.
Belo Horizonte
Germano
Ubu
MINAS GERAIS
ESPÍRITO
SANTO
RIO DE JANEIRO
8 9

Sustainable
development
Samarco has appointed sustainable development as one of
its main objectives, seeking a balance among the economic,
environmental and social dimensions of its business, as
evidenced by its increasing optimization of the use of natural
resources, its management of the socioenvironmental
impacts of its activities and its relationship with
stakeholders.

Samarco is committed to continuously minimizing the effects

of its activities on the environment. The conscious use of
water resources, rehabilitation of areas, reduction of waste
generation and preservation of biodiversity are practices
which are an integral part of its day-to-day operations in all
areas.

Giving priority to dialogue and transparency, Samarco

recognizes the potentialities, values and interests of each
community, contributing toward a better quality of life
for thousands of people. The social projects supported by
Samarco among neighboring communities are focused on
income generation, entrepreneurism and education.
10 11

Fourth Pellet
Plant Project (P4P) Increase in current capacity (Mtpa)

The studies for the P4P which are being developed 50

by Samarco contemplate the construction of a new 45

concentrator with a capacity of 9.5 million dry metric tons 40

per year, at the Germano industrial unit in Minas Gerais; 35

the construction of a new pipeline with a transportation 30

capacity of 20 million dry metric tons per year, linking the 25

Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo units; the construction of a 20

new pellet plant with a capacity of 8.25 million dry metric 15

tons per year, and the upgrading of the seaport terminal to 10

handle 33 million dry metric tons per year, in Ubu, Espírito 5

Santo. The Company’s overall increase in production 0

Concentration plants Pipelines Pelletizing plants Seaport terminal Ubu
capacity will be 37.5%.
CURRENT CAPACITY
AFTER EXPANSION PROJECT
Sta. Bárbara

Catas Altas

Sta. Cruz do
Escalvado
Barra Longa Abre Campo
Urucania Matipó
S. Antônio do
Ouro Preto Mariana Grama
Ponte Nova Sta. Luisburgo
Margarida
Pedra
Bonita Orizânia
Dores do Guarapari
Rio Preto Vargem
Divino Espera
Alta
Feliz Alegre Cachoeiro de
Itapemirim Anchieta

MINAS GERAIS Guaçuí Jerônimo Rio Novo

Monteiro do Sul
Piúma

FIRST PIPELINE
Itapemirim

ESPÍRITO SECOND PIPELINE

SANTO
THIRD PIPELINE

OPERATING AREA P4P

12 13

PRODUCTION
Process

Ponta Ubu plant

14
Mining
Samarco extracts iron ore from the open pit mines in Alegria
Complex, at the Germano unit in Mariana/Ouro Preto, Minas
Gerais. The Company removes the ROM and waste material
with a mobile fleet (tractors, loaders, shovels and trucks) and
bench conveyors, feeding a long conveyor belt system which
transports the ore to the beneficiation plants.
The mining process begins with mine planning, which
defines the sequence of the mining faces to be worked,
together with the logistics for the operation of the conveyor
belts within the pit. This planning makes it possible to meet
15
the ore quality requirements of the concentrators with the
masses needed, both of ore and waste, and to develop the
mines with the sustainable use of mineral resources.
The mining operations monitor the quality of ore being fed
to the system, including aspects such as iron, phosphorus
and alumina contents, loss of ignition and percentage of
specularite mineral in the ore.
The currently known reserves are calculated at 2.1 billion
mineable tons, for a life of mine extending till 2052.
Alegria mine
16 17

Concentration Process
The ore from Alegria and Fazendão is transported by
conveyor belts to the crushing facilities, which adjust the
particle size of ROM to the requirements of concentrators
feed.

The operation at the crushing plants is dry base and the

crushing capacities of plants 1 and 2 are respectively 23 and
13 Mtpa.

At concentration plants I and II, the ore undergoes grinding,

desliming, flotation regrinding and thickening. The grinding
process releases the iron mineral particles from gangue.
The desliming prepares the ore for flotation, discarding the
ultrafine particles.

The flotation phases employ conventional large-size

mechanical cells, in addition to flotation columns. This
process uses starch (depressant) and amine (quartz
collector) as reagents to promote the separation of the
contaminant mineral (quartz) from the iron-bearing
mineral.

Regrinding allows particle size adjustment for transportation

as slurry through the pipelines and as needed by the
pelletizing phase.

The final concentrate from the concentrators (24 Mtpa)

is thickened with the addition of reagents to increase
the sedimentation rate of the particles. A proportion of
45% solids in weight of the slurry fed to the thickeners is
increased to some 72% in the underflow and transferred to
the storage tanks for the pipeline. The water recovered from
Second concentration plant the overflow of these thickeners is collected for recycling.
18 19

Pipeline
Samarco chose to transport the concentrated pipelines
leading to the coast. Two parallel pipelines 398 km long
cross two states and 29 municipalities to feed the pellet
plants in Ponta Ubu. Together, these pipelines have a
transportation capacity of 24 million tons of concentrate.
The first pipeline went into operation in 1977 and links
concentrator 1 to pellet plants 1 and 2, and the second
pipeline, inaugurated in 2008, links concentrator 2 to pellet
plant 3.

2500
2250 GROUND PROFILE
PUMPING PUMPING Maximum
2000 STATION 1 STATION 2 Elevation
Elevation Elevation 1.184m VALVE
814m STATION 1
1750 1.011m
Elevation
803m
MASL 1500
VALVE
1250 STATION2
GERMANO Elevation
1000 381m

750 BOOSTER

500
250 PONTA UBU

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

KILOMETERS

First pipeline
20 21

Pelletizing Process
When the ore slurry is received in Ponta Ubu, it first goes
through the gravimetric tower and, if necessary, is sent to
the thickener for adjustments in its solids content. The slurry
is then sent to the blending tanks and subsequently to the
vacuum filters, which bring the moisture content down to
10%. The throughput is the pellet feed which is the main
raw material for the production of pellets. The pellet feed
first goes through the roller press which increases the solids
specific surface area, improving its behavior during the
pelletizing operation.

After the material goes through the roller press, it is blended

in mixers with coal, binders (bentonite or organic binders)
and limestone.

The resulting mix then arrives at the balling discs, which

are responsible for forming the green (or unfired) pellets,
by rolling the mixture around, through discs rotation and
inclination control. The solid particles coated by a film
of water attach to each other until the final agglomerate
becomes spherical.

The green pellets are classified on roller screenings to

remove the undersize (<8.0 mm) and the oversize (> 18.0
mm). The objective of this stage is to keep the sizing material
fed to the induration furnace as uniform as possible,
improving pellets layer permeability and the operating
conditions during the firing phase.

Balling discs - third pelletizing plant

22 2323

The pellets with the desired size are then discharged onto a Production process
main conveyor belt and sent to the pelletizing or induration
furnace, where they are subjected to the heat treatment
necessary to sinterize the particles.
Production process
The unfired or green pellets undergo different temperature Germano Front-end loader
and pressure conditions inside the travelling grate furnace. Dozzer Conveyor belt

The furnace is basically divided into the following zones: up- Slime
thickener
Stock pile Screening Crushing

draft drying, down-draft drying, pre-firing, firing, post-firing

and cooling. The control of the temperature gradient among Recycled
water tank Desliming
Grinding and
desliming circuit Pre-primary
grinding
Fines Primary
the different zones of the furnace is essential to assure that Tailing dam recovery grinding

the throughput does not suffer abrupt variations that could TKCell
VALE
concentrate
Concentrate Column
impact its final quality. thickener
Storage
Flotation

tank Pump
station #1 Conventional
flotation
Regrinding
After the induration phase, the pellets acquire the circuit

mechanical strength required for their transportation to

overseas clients, after undergoing one last screening phase
to physically remove the non-conforming size fraction. Pipelines
GERMANO

Pipeline
UBU
Production Gravimetric
tower
process Ore bin

Ubu Lime bin

Bentonite bin Lime mill
Binder bin
Thickener Coal bin
Slurry pond Thickener
Clarifier Bentonite/bin
der unloading
Water treatment Mixer
station Coal mill
Roller Press
Storage tank
Balling discs
Screening

North dam
Filtering Indurating
furnace
Roller screen
Stocker

Reclaimer Pellet
Shiploader shipment
 26

Stockyard and Port

OperationS
Samarco has three stockyards, namely A, B and C, which
have a joint capacity of 1.8 million tons of pellets. Robust
machinery handles the stacking and reclaiming of the
pellets, as well as loading of the product on the bulk vessels.
This machinery consists of two stackers, one stacker-
reclaimer, and one reclaimer.

As for the loading operations, Samarco uses a rail-mounted

shiploader which can feed the holds of vessels of various
sizes at the Company’s own port facilities. The port has a 313
m long and 22 m wide pier, specifically designed to outship
pellets, with two docking berths. The Ponta Ubu seaport
terminal was one of the first in Brazil to receive International
Safety Certification (ISPS Code). The document follows
the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) to assure that the port is prepared to prevent the
transportation of drugs, arms and terrorists on board the
vessels.

Ponta Ubu Sea terminal

 Distances between loading and
Brazil Australia Bahrain Canada Chile India Norway Peru South Africa Venezuela
discharging ports
Ponta da
In nautical miles (1.852 km) Ponta Ubu Tubarão Guaiba Port Hedland Esperance Dampier Bahrain Seven Islands Port Cartier Guayacan Mangalore Goa Narvik San Nicolas Saldanha Puerto Ordaz
Madeira
Campana 1365 1399 1136 2969 8677 7398 8581 8640 6079 6085 3029 8063 8131 7283 3887 3754 4248
Argentina
Villa Constitucion 1458 1491 1228 3062 8769 7490 8673 8733 6172 6178 3121 8156 8223 7375 3980 3847 4341
Beilun 10493 10783 10881 11091 3264 4507 3276 5860 11449 11455 10154 4241 4419 11501 9539 7692 9944
Guangzhou 10094 10083 10182 10947 2754 3997 2766 5121 11159 11170 10403 3502 3680 10762 10219 6992 10653
Huangpu 10082 10072 10170 10935 2742 3986 2754 5109 11147 11159 10391 3490 3668 10750 10208 6981 10642
Majishan 10728 10718 10816 11026 3199 4442 3210 5795 11385 11390 10089 4176 4353 11436 9474 7627 9879
Nantong 10822 10811 10910 11093 3292 4536 3304 5888 11451 11457 10175 4269 4447 11529 9541 7720 9946
China Ningbo 10803 10792 10891 11100 3292 4517 3285 5869 11458 11464 10163 4250 4428 11510 9548 7701 9953
Qingdao 11032 11022 11120 11084 3503 4746 3515 6099 11443 11448 10236 4480 4658 11740 9532 7931 9938
Shanghai 10784 10774 10872 11059 3255 4498 3267 5851 11417 11423 10141 4232 4410 11492 9507 7683 9912
Shekou 10045 10035 10133 10898 2703 3947 2715 5072 11110 11122 10348 3453 3631 10713 10165 6944 10598
Xingang 11346 11336 11434 11294 3817 5060 3829 6413 11652 11658 10446 4794 4972 12054 9742 8245 10147
Yantai 11157 11146 11245 11104 3627 4871 3639 6223 11463 11468 10256 4604 4782 11864 9552 8055 9957
Egypt El Dekheila 5746 5713 6022 4976 6326 6860 6241 3268 4576 4588 8615 3286 3235 4179 7739 5545 5350
Dunkerque 4904 4871 5180 4015 9345 9878 9260 6287 2637 2649 7199 6305 6253 1174 6323 5991 4128
France
Fos Sur Mer 4639 4606 4915 3870 7701 8235 7616 4643 3469 3481 7508 4661 4610 3072 6632 5694 4243
Germany Bremen 5231 5197 5506 4341 9671 10205 9586 6613 2780 2792 7525 6631 6580 1074 6649 6317 4454
Indonesia Cigading 8275 8264 8363 9127 1207 2200 1151 3868 9887 9899 9132 2249 2426 9490 9833 5173 10407
Kakogawa 11238 11228 11326 10479 3487 4796 3553 6342 10838 10843 9503 4722 4900 11983 8903 8137 9333
Japan
Kimitsu 11438 11428 11443 10194 3595 4951 3660 6540 10553 10558 9232 4921 5099 12181 8619 8337 9048
Libya Misurata 5105 5072 5380 4335 7061 7595 6976 4003 3935 3947 7973 4021 3970 3538 7098 6160 4708
Malaysia Labuan 9202 9192 9290 10055 1941 3128 1946 4386 10424 10436 9882 2767 2945 10027 10172 6101 11158
IJmuiden 5014 4981 5290 4124 9454 9988 9370 6397 2706 2718 7308 6414 6363 1086 6433 6100 4237
Netherlands
Rotterdam 4999 4966 5275 4109 9439 9973 9355 6382 2732 2743 7293 6400 6348 1129 6418 6085 4222
Oman Muscat 7624 7611 7724 7685 4396 5112 4322 539 7285 7297 9675 1139 1006 6888 10448 4513 8058
Qatar Mesaieed 8113 8101 8214 8174 4880 5600 4806 175 7774 7786 10164 1615 1479 7377 10937 5002 8548
Saudi Arabia Al Jubail 8188 8175 8288 8249 4954 5675 4880 85 7849 7861 10239 1690 1554 7452 11012 5077 8622
Kwangyang 11041 11031 11129 10699 3453 4708 3477 6114 11058 11064 9865 4495 4673 11755 9148 7940 9553
South Korea
Pohang 11148 11137 11236 10548 3502 4745 3513 6221 10906 10912 9721 4602 4780 11862 8996 8046 9401
Taiwan Kaohsiung 10179 10169 10267 11032 2647 3890 2659 5262 11300 11312 10052 3643 3821 10903 9863 7078 10326
Trinidad & Tobago Point Lisas 2894 2861 3170 1366 10541 10111 10445 8462 2533 2539 3641 8479 8428 4618 2765 5284 193
Turkey Eregli 5876 5842 6151 5106 7093 7627 7009 4036 4706 4718 8744 4054 4002 4309 7869 6313 5479
Port Talbot 4750 4717 5026 3844 9201 9735 9116 6143 2363 2375 6958 6161 6189 1357 6083 5846 3910
United Kingdom
Scunthorpe 5091 5058 5367 4202 9532 10066 9447 6474 2630 2641 7386 6492 6440 1087 6510 6178 4315
USA Houston 5070 5037 5346 3555 11601 10484 11667 9790 2885 2891 4013 9808 9757 5172 3138 7459 2432
 31

HARBOR PARTICULARS TABLE

Samarco
WEST BERTH sales
Length (LOA)
Breadth
< 309 m
< 59 m
distribution
Draft ≤ 16.8 m
Cargo Air Draft ≤ 18.5 m
Bow < 10.2 m
Turning Basin Draft (inward)
Stern < 13m

EAST BERTH
Length (LOA) < 241 m
Breadth < 33 m
Draft ≤ 13 m
Cargo Air Draft ≤ 18.5 m
Turning Basin Draft (inward) Bow < 12.4 m
Draft and air draft operational limits measured from the tide reference.
34 35

Location of cUSTOMERS around the globE Sales Evolution - WMT

1990 5.4
3.2

6.1
Turkey 1991 2.7
Taiwan
4.9
1992 2.8
Holland
Saudi 5.2
Arabia 1993 2.8

Malaysia 5.8
Germany
1994
India 3.5

1995 6.0
3.5
United
United Arab 1996 6.1
Kingdom Emirates Indonesia 4.1
Trinidad &
Tobago 5.8
1997 3.8
Egypt
Argentina China
9.5
France 1998 2.2

Japan 10.5
1999 1.9
Libya
Brazil 2000 12.7
2.0
United
States Qatar 9.5
2001
2.0

12.3
2002 2.5

13.7
2003 2.7

14.1
2004 2.2

14.1
2005
1.4

2006 14.1
1.9

14.5
2007 1.9

16.6
2008
0.7

2009 17.1
1.8

FINES
PELLETS
36 37

Samarco
Products
38 39

Samarco Pellets Product Specifications

Characteristics PELLET BF HIGH BASIC PELLET BF STANDART PELET BF MEDIUM BAS45

Samarco pellets are recognized for their high reducibility, Chemical Analysis - (% dry basis)

which can be transformed into productivity gains in the direct Fe (ISO 2597) 66.34 66.72 67.26
FeO (K2Cr2O7 titrant) 0.29 0.29 0.26
reduction modules and blast furnaces. This good metallurgical SiO2 (ISO 11535)¹ 2.00 2.00 2.00
performance of the end product is due to the unique Al2O3 (ISO 11535)² 0.51 0.50 0.60
characteristics of the ores from the Alegria mining complex. CaO (ISO 11535)³ 2.09 1.64 0.90
MgO (ISO 11535)³ 0.18 0.15 0.10
P (ISO 4687) 0.046 0.046 0.046
Concerted efforts to map and characterize the minerals are S (ISO 9686) 0.005 0.004 0.003
undertaken by geologists in Germano to assure the supply H2O (ISO 3087) 1.60 1.44 1.74

of concentrate with the optimum blend of specular hematite, Cu (ISO 11535) 0.003 0.003 0.003
TiO2 (ISO 11535) 0.045 0.046 0.045
martite, goethite and magnetite to the pelletizing process in V2O5 (ISO 11535) 0.007 0.007 0.007
Ponta Ubu Na2O (ISO 11535) 0.037 0.036 0.034
K2O (ISO 11535) 0.012 0.011 0.011
Mn (ISO 11535) 0.052 0.057 0.053
Basic characteristics of the minerals which form the Zn (ISO 11535) 0.002 0.002 0.002
Samarco pellet feed: B2 1.02 0.82 0.46
Remarks

Specular hematite: tabular, smooth and non-porous. Grants [1] - ISO 2598 is also a used procedure.
[2] - ISO 6830 is also a used procedure.
the pellet a good surface finish and high tumble index. It is [3] - EDTA titrant is also a used procedure.
one of the main elements responsible for greater resistance Metallurgical Analysis
to compression and lends the pellets a higher intrinsic LTD +6,3mm (ISO 13930) 81 83 81
LTD -0,5mm (ISO 13930) 14 12 7
density. Swelling 60 min (ISO 4698) 15
Martitic hematite or martite (porous hematite): Result of Delta P (ISO 7992) 8 15
the alteration of magnetite. Due to its porosity, as well as dR/dt (ISO 7992) 1.7 1.6 1.1

its genetic affiliation, it grants the pellets a higher level of Reducibility (ISO 7215) 84 80 60
Physical Analysis - (Natural basis)
reducibility. CCS- 16+ 12,5 kg/P (ISO 4700) 300 308 293
Goethite: Normally very porous, it also helps to increase the Tumble +6,3 (%) (ISO 3271) 93.5 93.6 93.7
reducibility of the pellets. Abrasion -0,5 (%) (ISO 3271) 5.7 5.7 5.6
Physical Analysis - (%) (Natural basis)
Magnetite: Present to a lesser degree, it is converted into -19+16mm (ISO 4701) 5.6 5.6 5.6
hematite in the oxidizing atmosphere of the induration -16+8mm (ISO 4701) 93.7 93.8 93.6
furnace. -6,3mm (ISO 4701) 1.35 1.36 1.38
40 41

PELLET DR MIDREX PELLET DR HYL P. FEED NORMAL SILICA P. FEED LOW SILICA

Chemical Analysis - (% dry basis) Chemical Analysis - (% dry basis)

Fe (ISO 2597) 67.9 67.8 Fe (ISO 2597) 66.93 67.19
FeO (K2Cr2O7 titrant) 0.20 0.19 FeO (K2Cr2O7 titrant) 1.16 0.96
SiO2 (ISO 11535)¹ 1.23 1.28 SiO2 (ISO 11535)¹ 1.27 1.02
Al2O3 (ISO 11535)² 0.49 0.49 Al2O3 (ISO 11535)² 0.39 0.40
SiO2 + Al2O3 1.72 1.77 CaO (ISO 11535) ³ 0.11 0.11
CaO (ISO 11535)³ 0.76 0.91 MgO (ISO 11535) ³ 0.03 0.03
MgO (ISO 11535)³ 0.087 0.096 P (ISO 4687) 0.043 0.041
P (ISO 4687) 0.041 0.04 S (ISO 9686) 0.004 0.003
S (ISO 9686) 0.002 0.003 H2O (ISO 3087) 10.17 9.39
H2O (ISO 3087) 1.49 1.42 Cu (ISO 11535) 0.003 0.003
Cu (ISO 11535) 0.003 0.003 Na2O (ISO 11535) 0.016 0.023
TiO2 (ISO 11535) 0.039 0.038 K2O (ISO 11535) 0.004 0.004
V2O5 (ISO 11535) 0.007 0.006 LOI (ISO 11536) 2.41 2.29
Na2O (ISO 11535) 0.04 0.039 Mn (ISO 11535) 0.054 0.050
K2O (ISO 11535) 0.008 0.008 Remarks
Mn (ISO 11535) 0.053 0.054 [1] - ISO 2598 is also a used procedure.
Zn (ISO 11535) 0.002 0.002 [2] - ISO 6830 is also a procedure.
B2 0.61 0.71 [3] - EDTA titrant is also a used procedure.
Remarks Physical Analysis - (Natural basis)
[1] - ISO 2598 is also a procedure. Blaine (permeabilimeter) 1,723.4 1,75
[2] - ISO 6830 is also a procedure. Sizing Analysis
[3] - EDTA titrant is also a procedure. -100# (ISO 4701) 99.68 99.7
Metallurgical Analysis (%) -325# (ISO 4701) 87.2 86.2
LMT Degree of Metallization (ISO
96 96
11257)
Clustering (ISO 11256) 12 12
Physical Analysis - (Natural basis)
CCS- 16+ 12,5 kg/P (ISO 4700) 307 313
Tumble+6,3 (%) (ISO 3271) 93.6 93.5
Abrasion -0,5 (%) (ISO 3271) 5.8 5.9
Sizing Analysis (%) (Natural basis)
-19+16m (ISO 4701) 8 8
-16+8mm (ISO 4701) 94.24 94.43
-6,3mm (ISO 4701) 1.11 1.21
42 43

SINTER FEED
Samarco’s
Chemical Analysis - (% dry basis)
Fe (ISO 2597) 66.81
laboratorIES
FeO (K2Cr2O7 titrant) 0.38
SiO2 (ISO 11535)¹ 1.85
Al2O3 (ISO 11535)² 0.6
CaO (ISO 11535)³ 1
MgO (ISO 11535)³ 0.13
P (ISO 4687) 0.043
S (ISO 9686) 0.017
H2O (ISO 3087) 8.77
Cu (ISO 11535) 0.003
Na2O (ISO 11535) 0.04
K2O (ISO 11535) 0.01
LOI (ISO 11536) 0.65
Mn 0.053
Cr 0.009
V 0.041
Remarks
[1] - ISO 2598 is also a procedure.
[2] - ISO 6830 is also a procedure.
[3] - EDTA titrant is also a used.
Sizing Analysis
+9,5mm (ISO 4701) 3.3
-9,5+6,3 (ISO 4701) 4.63
-6.3+3.15mm (ISO 4701) 23.21
-3.15+2.0mm (ISO 4701) 9.73
-2.0+1.0mm (ISO 4701) 8.14
-1.0+0.5mm (ISO 4701) 5.6
-0.5+0.149mm (ISO 4701) 7.4
-0,149mm (ISO 4701) 37.98
44 45

Pilot Plant Number of tests performed in Samarco’s

pilot plant
Inserted in Samarco’s laboratory complex, the pot grate has
pilot scale equipment capable of simulating the production
phases of roller pressing, mixing, pelletizing and firing.
500
The main objectives of the pot grate laboratory are to:
250
• Develop studies and research focused on the optimization 450 168
of the production process
• Allow continuous improvement of Samarco pellet quality 400
• Develop new products
• Develop new binders and additives 184
350
• Develop new processes.
148
300
Ever since it went into operation in 1984, the pot grate has 318
undergone many changes which have led to improvement
250
in the testing processes and thus in the reliability of the
information generated. Over these years, several studies
have been developed, the results of which have contributed 200 243
to optimizing technical and management decisions. 221 223

150
This has allowed the pot grate, in conjunction with the other
laboratories, to contribute towards Samarco’s constant 100
evolution, adjusting its processes and products to new
market conditions and the needs and requirements of its
50
clients.

0
2007 2008 2009 2010
(estimative)
Balling tests
Firing tests
46 47

Pilot indurating machine

48 49

Test Methods /
ISO Standards

ISO 13930
Dynamic test for low-temperature reduction-
disintegration

This standard indicates a method to test the disintegration

of iron ores during reduction in a rotation tube at a
temperature of 500 ºC. It is applicable to lump ores and
pellets as blast furnace burden materials.

Process:

A 0.5 kg test portion is heated in a 10 rpm rotating tube at

a temperature of 500 ºC, using reducing gas at a flow rate
of 20 l/min, consisting of 20 % of CO, 20 % of CO2, 2 % of
H2 and 58 % of N2 for 60 minutes. Then, the test portion
is cooled to a temperature below 100 ºC and screened with
test screens of 6.3 mm, 3.15 mm and 0.5 mm. The low-
temperature disintegration (LTD) values are calculated as a
quantitative measure of the degree of disintegration of an
iron ore sample that has been reduced while tumbling: the
percentage masses of material greater than 6.3 mm, smaller
than 3.15 mm and smaller than 0.5 mm, respectively, are
related to the total mass of the test portion after reduction.

ISO 13930 apparatus

50

ISO 4698
Determination of relative free-swelling index

This standard indicates a method to determine the relative

free-swelling index of pellets during reduction under
isothermal heating in an unconstrained state using a
gaseous reductant.

Process:

A test portion of 18 pellets is heated using inert gas at a

flow rate of 10 l/min. When the temperature approaches
900 ºC the flow rate is increased to 15 l/min and a reducing
gas consisting of 30 % of CO and 70 % of N2, replaces the
inert gas at the same flow rate for 60 minutes. After that,
the test portion is cooled to a flow rate of 5 l/min and the
free-swelling index is calculated as percentage, using the
difference between the final and initial volumes.

ISO 4698 apparatus

52

ISO 7992
Determination of reduction under load

This standard indicates a method to evaluate physical

stability of iron ores measuring the change in the differential
gas pressure across a bed of pellets and the change in the
height of the bed during reduction under load.

Process:

A 1.2 kg test portion of iron ore is heated with a load of

50 kPa applied on the pellet layer and inert gas at a flow
rate of 50 l/min. When the temperature approaches 1050
ºC, the flow rate is increased to 83 l/min and the reducing
gas, consisting of 40 % of CO, 2 % of H2 and 58 % of N2, is
introduced. From the beginning of passing the reducing gas,
it is calculated the differential gas pressure and the height of
the test bed at an 80 % degree of reduction.

ISO 7992 apparatus

54 55

ISO 7215
Determination of relative reducibility

This standard indicates a method to determine the

reducibility in relative terms of natural and processed iron
ores. It measures the extent to which oxygen has been
removed from iron oxides.

Process:

A 0.5 kg test portion of iron ore is heated under a flow

of inert gas at a rate of 5 l/min. When the temperature
approaches 900 ºC, the flow rate is increased to 15 l/min for
30 minutes. The mass of the test portion is measured and the
gas is replaced by reducing gas, consisting of 30 % of CO and
70 % of N2 at a flow rate of 15 l/min. After 3 hours, the mass
is measured again and nitrogen inserted at a flow rate of 5 l/
min until the test portion is cooled to 100 ºC. The degree of
reduction is calculated from the loss in mass and the total
iron content of the test portion.

ISO 7215 apparatus

56 57

ISO 11257
Determination of the low-temperature reduction-
disintegration index and degree of metallization

This standard indicates a method to evaluate the

disintegration behavior and the degree of metallization of
iron ores in the direct reduction process. It measures the size
degradation that results under reduction, and the metallic
iron content of the ore after the direct reduction process.

Process:

A 0.5 kg test portion of iron ore is heated under a flow of

inert gas at a rate of 10 l/min. Within 90 minutes the heat
approaches 760 ºC and the flow rate is increased to 13 l/
min for 30 minutes. The reducing gas, consisting of 55 %
of H2, 36 % of CO, 5 % of CO2 and 4 % of CH4, replaces the
inert gas, at a flow rate of 13 l/ml for 300 minutes. By the
end of reduction the reducing gas is replaced by inert gas
at a flow rate of 10 l/min and the test portion cooled to
room temperature. Then, the test portion is screened for
the calculation of the reduction-disintegration index as the
percentage mass of material less than 3.15 mm and the
calculation of the degree of metallization from the chemical
analysis of the reduced material.

ISO 11257 apparatus

58 59

ISO 11256
Determination of the clustering index

This standard indicates a method to evaluate the clustering

behavior of iron ore pellets under conditions that prevail
in the direct reduction process. It measures the percentage
of clusters formed on the reduction process after applying
tumble operation in the test portion.

Process:

A 2.0 kg test portion is heated in an inert atmosphere at a

flow rate of 20 l/min. When the temperature approaches
850 ºC the flow rate is increased to 40 l/min and the heating
at 850 ºC remains for 10 minutes. At this moment, the
mass of the test portion is measured and the reducing gas,
consisting of 45 % of H2, 30 % of CO, 15 % of CO2 and 10 %
of N2 replaces the inert gas at a flow rate of 40 l/min, up to
95 % degree of reduction. After one hour of reduction a load
of 147kpa is applied to the test portion. When the degree
of reduction reaches 95%, the test portion is cooled in an
inert atmosphere at a flow rate of 20 l/min, disaggregated
by tumbling, in a specified drum and the clustering index
from the clusters accumulated after specified disaggregation
operations are calculated.

ISO 11256 apparatus

60 61

ISO 4700
Determination of crushing strength

This standard indicates a method to determine the crushing

strength of fired iron ore pellets. It measures the value of
the compressive load applied to an individual pellet to cause
breakage in a compression test.

Process:
ISO 4700 apparatus

A compressive load is applied to 100 pellets of size -12.5 +10

mm separately, at a constant platen speed between 10 mm/
min and 20 mm/min, until the pellet is broken. The crushing
strength is the maximum load attained in the test.

ISO 3271
Determination of the tumble and abrasion
indices

This standard indicates a method to evaluate the resistance

to degradation by impact and abrasion in a rotating drum.
It measures the tumble strength and abrasion index of iron
ores.

ISO 3271 apparatus

62 63

Process:

A 15 kg test portion is placed in a tumble drum and rotated

at 25 rpm, for a total of 200 revolutions. The product
material is screened and the tumble index is expressed
as the mass percentage of material greater than 6.3 mm,
and the abrasion index as the mass percentage of material
smaller than 0.5 mm.

ISO 4701
Determination of size distribution by sieving

This standard indicates a method to determine size

distributions by screening of iron ore, whether natural or
processed.

Process:

A 10 kg test portion of iron ore, in all sizes, is subjected to

screening procedures for the purpose of determining the size
distribution of constituent particles. The size distribution is to
be expressed in terms of mass and percentage mass, passed
or retained on selected screens.

ISO 4701 apparatus

64