An apparatus for direct reduction of iron ore in a solid state including a pre-heating furnace for pre-heating iron ore fragments and biomass in briquettes of these materials to a temperature in the range of 400-900° C.; and a reduction assembly for briquettes from the pre-heating furnace. The reduction assembly includes a reaction chamber, a source of electromagnetic energy in the form of microwave energy, a wave guide for transferring microwave energy to the chamber for heating and reducing iron ore in briquettes from the pre-heating furnace, with biomass acting as a reductant, a source of an inert gas, pipework for supplying the inert gas to the chamber to maintain the chamber under anoxic conditions, and an outlet for discharging an offgas and any retained particulates that are generated in the chamber.

A method of operating an iron making installation is provided, in which waste material is dried using a drying gas, the drying gas including an exhaust gas from a sinter plant, and the dried material is roasted a roasting gas, so as to produce coal and a roasting exhaust gas. An associated installation is also provided.

A continuous process provides direct reduction of iron ore in a solid state. Briquettes of iron ore fragments and biomass are transported through a preheating chamber and preheated to a temperature of at least 400° C. The preheated briquettes are transported through a heating/reduction chamber that has an anoxic environment, and iron ore and biomass in the briquettes are exposed to electromagnetic energy in the form of microwave energy under anoxic conditions. Microwave energy generates heat within iron ore, and biomass acts as a reductant and reduces iron ore in a solid state, as the briquettes move through the heating/reduction chamber.

Method to produce a polymeric product starting from a primary heterogeneous mixture comprising polymeric material, comprising fragmentation into desired sizing, mechanical primary selection of the fragmented material and plastification, obtaining a densified material which is then subjected to quenching.

An aqueous solution containing 30 ppm or more of carbon dioxide is brought into contact with a steel-making slag to elute phosphorus and calcium contained in the steel-making slag into the aqueous solution. Subsequently, carbon dioxide is removed from the aqueous solution to precipitate a mixture comprising a phosphorus compound and a calcium compound. In this manner, a mixture comprising a phosphorus compound and a calcium compound and containing phosphorus in an amount of 1% by mass or more in terms of phosphorus atom content can be produced.

Composite particles are used in combination with ore particles in an ore-refining or purification process, such as in a steel- or iron-making process. The composite particles comprise a core, which may be an aggregate of limestone, dolomite, or another ore particle. The core is surrounded by a coating layer of a metal dust and a binder. The metal dust may be iron oxide dust, which, along with limestone, is prevalent in the iron smelting process anyway. In this way, the composite particles help to recycle otherwise wasted and hazardous iron dust. The binder may be mineral clay such as bentonite, montmorillonite or kaolinite, and may comprise about 2-10% by weight of the particle.

In some variations, the invention provides a biocarbon pellet comprising: 35 wt % to 99 wt % of a biogenic reagent, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises, on a dry basis, at least 60 wt % carbon; 0 wt % to 35 wt % water moisture; and 1 wt % to 30 wt % of a binder, wherein the biocarbon pellet is characterized by an adjustable Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) from about 30 to about 120, as shown in the Examples. The pellet HGI is adjustable by controlling process conditions and the pellet binder. The binder can be an organic binder or an inorganic binder. The carbon is renewable as determined from a measurement of the .sup.14C/.sup.12C isotopic ratio. Many processes of making and using the biocarbon pellets are described. Applications of the biocarbon pellets include pulverized coal boilers, furnaces for making metals such as iron or silicon, and gasifiers for producing reducing gas.

Method for the production of metal products starting from ferrous material, by means of an electric arc furnace.

A method of operating a metallurgic plant for producing iron products includes the following steps, wherein the metallurgic plant includes a direct reduction plant and an ironmaking plant, the metallurgic plant: feeding an iron ore charge into the direct reduction plant to produce direct reduced iron products, operating the ironmaking plant to produce pig iron, wherein biochar is introduced into the ironmaking plant as reducing agent, and whereby the ironmaking plant generates offgas containing CO and CO2, and treating offgas from the ironmaking plant in a hydrogen enrichment unit to form a hydrogen-rich stream and a CO2-rich stream. The hydrogen-rich stream is fed directly or indirectly to the direct reduction plant. The CO2-rich stream is converted to be valorized in the direct reduction plant.

A corresponding metallurgic plant is also related.

A process for direct reduction of iron ore in a solid state includes exposing briquettes of iron ore fragments and biomass to electromagnetic energy under anoxic conditions and generating heat within iron ore in the briquettes. The iron ore is reduced in a solid state within the briquettes, and the biomass provides a source of reductant.