**2. Materials**

of two main parts: raw pellet (green ball) and product pellet. The raw pellet is obtained by mixing the enriched ore with the binders followed by the agglomeration process, the product

The pelletizing process occurs in four basic stages, as shown in **Figure 4**. First, the ore and the various additives are mixed to obtain a homogeneous form. The distribution of the materials forming the pellet cake is of great importance in terms of pellet strength. After mixing opera-

This product is called green pellet. Optionally, the process may be ended at this step depending on the needed or, the pellet is transferred to the next device and subjected to the induration to obtain the product pellet as shown in **Figure 5**. After this process, the cooled material

pellet is obtained by heating and cooling the raw pellet [13].

tion, the mixture is transferred balling discs to obtain pellet form.

is now named the product pellet.

**Figure 4.** Schematic of a pelletizing plant with wet grinding [14].

**i.** Mixing

**iii.** Induration

**iv.** Cooling

**ii.** Agglomeration

88 Iron Ores and Iron Oxide Materials

#### **2.1. Ore and chemicals**

In this study, siderite ore was obtained from the Deveci district of Hekimhan Malatya Province. **Figure 6** shows the pictures of the raw siderite ore and the calcined siderite ore used in the study. The elemental analyses of raw siderite ore is given in **Table 5**.

In addition, the bentonite which was used during the pelletizing process was also obtained from Hekimhan/Malatya. Its density is 2.60 g/cm<sup>3</sup> and colours are white, grey, yellow, pink and green. Bentonite, a volcanic mineral formed by the decomposition of volcanic ash in situ and composed of montmorillonite clay mineral of large size which absorbs water and is used commercially in drilling mud, catalyst, paint, plastic filling works [15].

In the microwave experiment part, sucrose—C12H22O11 (Merck 99.5%) and urea CH<sup>4</sup> N2 O (Merck 99.5%) was used as a thermal auxiliary and consolidate purposes, respectively.

**Figure 6.** Raw siderite (on the left) and calcined siderite (on the right).
