This study presents the results of the solid-state reduction of iron–manganese ore from the Keregetas deposit (Kazakhstan) using hydrogen as a reductant. The findings demonstrate that hydrogen is an effective and environmentally friendly reducing agent, enabling selective reduction of iron. The investigated iron–manganese ore exhibits a complex mineralogical composition comprising oxides of Fe, Mn, Si, and aluminosilicate complex phases. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the raw ore confirmed the presence of goethite, hematite, quartzite, and MnO2 as the primary mineral phases. Oxidative roasting induced the dehydration of goethite and its conversion to hematite, along with the formation of Mn2O3 and Mn3O4 phases. The detection of Mn7SiO12 indicates interaction between manganese and silica under high-temperature oxidation conditions. Reduction experiments were conducted in an RB Automazione MM 6000 laboratory furnace at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1100 °C, with a holding time of 60 min and a hydrogen flow rate of 0.5 L/min. Results revealed high selectivity of hydrogen reduction: at 700–800 °C, iron and arsenic were predominantly reduced, as evidenced by the emergence of a metallic Fe-containing phase, while oxides of Mn, Si, Ba, and Al remained in the residue. Increasing the temperature to 900–1000 °C resulted in partial reduction of manganese. At 1100 °C, a decrease in the intensity of the metallic phase was observed, likely due to sintering of ore particles and reduced gas permeability. The reduced metal and oxides were readily separable by melting. These findings provide a basis for developing processing schemes for beneficiation and hydrometallurgical treatment of iron–manganese ores from Kazakhstan.

The research presented in the article is devoted to the study of the influence of phase compounds on the friability of the Fe-Si-Mn-Al complex alloy. The urgency of the problem lies in the development of technology for producing a non-scatterable alloy from manganese-containing ores and high-ash coals. The main goal of this work is to determine the range of alloy compositions and the resulting phases that affect the dispersibility of the alloy, which is critically important for its industrial implementation. Research methods include thermodynamic diagram analysis (TDA) using data on the standard enthalpy of formation of intermetallic compounds, as well as experimental tests in an ore-thermal electric furnace with a capacity of 200 kV*A. The results show that Fe-Si-Mn-Al complex alloys form a variety of silicide and aluminide phases, including intermetallic compounds and ternary systems, which is critical for understanding and controlling their physicochemical properties. When melting a complex alloy, the content of leboite (Fe₃Si₇) in the Fe-Si-Mn-Al system plays a significant role. The development of melting process technology will be aimed at avoiding the FeSi₂-Fe₃Si₇-F₂(FeAl₃Si₂)-Mn₁₁Si₁₉ tetrahedron area. This approach to controlling the composition of a complex alloy is critical to ensuring its consistent friability properties in industrial applications. Thus, this work represents an important step in understanding the physical properties and stability of Fe-Si-Mn-Al complex alloys, which have potential for widespread use in metallurgical and other industrial applications.

The research presented in the article is devoted to the study of the influence of phase compounds on the friability of the Fe-Si-Mn-Al complex alloy. The urgency of the problem lies in the development of technology for producing a non-scatterable alloy from manganese-containing ores and high-ash coals. The main goal of the work is to determine the range of alloy compositions and the resulting phases that affect the dispersibility of the alloy, which is critically important for its industrial implementation. Research methods include thermodynamic diagram analysis (TDA) using data on the standard enthalpy of formation of intermetallic compounds, as well as experimental tests in an ore-thermal electric furnace with a capacity of 200 kV*A. The results show that Fe-Si-Mn-Al complex alloys form a variety of silicide and aluminide phases, including intermetallic compounds and ternary systems, which is critical for understanding and controlling their physicochemical properties. When smelting a complex alloy, the content of leboite (Fe3Si7) in the Fe-Si-Mn-Al system plays a significant role. The development of smelting technology will be aimed at avoiding the FeSi2-Fe3Si7-F2(FeAl3Si2)-Mn11Si19 tetrahedron area. This approach to controlling the composition of a complex alloy is critical to ensuring its consistent friability properties in industrial applications. Thus, this work represents an important step in understanding the physical properties and stability of Fe-Si-Mn-Al complex alloys, which have potential for widespread use in metallurgical and other industrial applications.

Reduction of iron in high-phosphorus oolitic ore from the Lisakovsk deposit using solid carbon, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen. An X-ray phase analysis was used to determine the phase composition of the samples after reduction roasting. When reduced with carbon monoxide or hydrogen, α-iron appears in the samples, while phosphorus remains in the form of iron, calcium, and aluminum phosphates. After roasting with solid carbon, phosphorus is reduced from iron and calcium phosphates and migrates into the metal but remains in aluminum phosphate. A micro X-ray spectral analysis showed that at a temperature of 1000 °C and a holding time of 5 h, during reduction with solid carbon, the phosphorus content in the metallic phase reaches up to 7.1 at. %. When reduced with carbon monoxide under the same conditions, the metallic phase contains only iron, and phosphorus is found only in the oxide phase. When reduced with hydrogen at 800 °C, phosphorus is almost absent in the metallic phase, but at 900 °C, phosphorus is reduced and its content in the metallic phase reaches 2.1 at. %.

Along with the growth in the production of metallurgical grade silicon and high-silicon ferrous alloys, there is a significant increase in the formation of microsilica, which is an ultra-fine technogenic waste. The direct application of microsilica in ore-thermal furnaces is hindered by low bulk density, poor gas permeability, and high dusting. This paper explores the thermophysical and microstructure properties of briquettes based on microsilica, which includes various types of carbonaceous reducing agents such as semi-coke and coal. For manufacturing, the liquid glass was used as the inorganic binder for the preparation of microsilica briquettes. The best variants were chosen based on strength tests carried out during preliminary studies. In the laboratory tests, the stability of the briquettes at elevated temperatures was evaluated. Samples were heated to 1000–1500 °C and subjected to impact testing. Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used to investigate the microstructure and local elemental distribution. It was revealed that the calcinated briquettes of the microsilica–semi-coke mixture have better thermal stability compared to the samples with coal and withstand the temperature range up to 1500 °C. The microstructure of the briquette from the microsilica-semi-coke mixture is characterized by the formation of a more uniform silicate matrix with the presence of a homogeneously distributed carbonaceous component. Coal-based samples show higher heterogeneity and porosity. Therefore, it can be stated that the selection of carbonaceous reductants is one of the key factors influencing the thermal stability of microsilica briquettes.

The aim of this study was to develop a roasting–magnetic separation technology for ferruginous manganese fines generated during the processing of ores from the Tur deposit in order to reduce iron content and increase manganese concentration in products suitable for subsequent metallurgical applications. A process flowsheet involving magnetizing reduction roasting with a carbonaceous reductant (Shubarkol coal) followed by magnetic separation was proposed. The effects of key process parameters, including reductant dosage (20 and 30 wt.%), roasting duration (180 and 300 min), and particle size distribution, were systematically investigated. The separation efficiency of iron and manganese was found to depend strongly on the roasting conditions and the reduction degree of iron-bearing phases. The proposed technology demonstrated high efficiency, with the best results obtained at 30 wt.% coal and 300 min of roasting, achieving manganese recovery of up to 73.40% in the non-magnetic product while reducing iron content to 2.13%. Furthermore, the inclusion of a preliminary magnetic separation stage improved process selectivity, producing a manganese concentrate containing up to 31.9% Mn and 2.0% Fe. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of (Fe,Mn)O, hausmannite, and braunite, while quartz remained the dominant gangue phase. The results demonstrate the potential for efficient utilization of ferruginous manganese fines and the expansion of the metallurgical raw material base in Kazakhstan.