This dissertation is based largely on data that was accumulated during the execution of an exploration program by Iscor Ltd in the Northern Transvaal. The program included geological mapping, geophysical surveys and drilling, on Precambrian iron-formations in the Central Zone of the Limpopo Belt. The structure, stratigraphy, metamorphism, and economic importance of the magnetite quartzites and associated lithologies of the Moonlight prospect are discussed. The lithologies underlying the Moonlight prospect area consist of various pink- and grey-banded gneisses and pink granulite, together with a variety of metasedimentary supracrustal rock-types and concordant serpentinite bodies. The gneissic rock-types consist of chlorite-quartz-feldspar gneiss, chlorite-quartz-feldspar augen gneiss, hornblende-quartz-feldspar gneiss, biotite-quartz-feldspar gneiss, felsic and mafic granulite, and foliated amphibolite. The metasedimentary lithologies are represented by calc-silicates and marble, white quartz-feldspar granulite, magnetite quartzite, metaquartzite and garnet-bearing granulite and gneiss (metapelites). The concordant ultramafic bodies consist of serpentinite with lesser amphibolite, dunite, and chromitite. Intrusive pegmatites and diabase dykes are also present in the prospect area. Metamorphism reached granulite-facies, and more than one retrqgrade metamorphic event is recognized . Amphibolite-facies assemblages are present, but it is uncertain whether they represent another retrograde event . Polyphase deformation has produced intense and complex folding , resulting in irregular magnetite quartzite orebodies. The high metamorphic grades have resulted in medium- grained recrystallization of the magnetite-quartzites with a loss of prominent banding often associated with these rock-types . The magnetite quartzite occurs as three seperate but related ore zones, consisting of one or more ore-bands seperated by other lithologies. All three zones form poor outcrops and suboutcrops in a generally flat lying and sand covered area. · Although representing a low-grade iron ore (32% total Fe), the magnetite quartzite deposits at Moonlight are regarded as potentially viable due to the large opencast tonnages available at low stripping ratios, and the relatively cheap and easy beneficiation process needed to produce a magnetite concentrate with 69-70% total Fe.

Iron-formations are ferruginous sedimentary rocks which have their source from fumarolic activity associated with submarine volcanism, with deposition of iron as oxides, hydroxides, and hydrous oxide-silicate minerals in shallow and/or deep marine sedimentary systems. The Precambrian ironformations of southern Africa have a wide age range, but are more prominently developed before 1.SGa. These iron formations occur in greenstone belts of the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwean cratons, in the Limpopo mobile belt, in cratonic basins and in the Damara mobile belt. The Archaean-Proterozoic sedimentary basins and greenstone belts host iron ore deposits in iron-formation. Iron formations have a lengthy geological history. Most were subjected to intense, and on occasions repeated, tectonic and metamorphic episodes which also included metasomatic processes at times to produce supergene/hypogene high grade iron ores. Iron-formations may be enriched by diagenetic, and metamorphic processes to produce concentrating-grade ironformations. Uplift, weathering and denudation, have influenced the mineral association and composition of the ores, within which magnetite, haematite and goethite constitute the major ore minerals. The iron resources of the southern Africa region include the Sishen deposits, hosting to about 1200 Mt of high grade direct shipping ore, at >63% Fe. Deposits of Zimbabwe have more than 33 000 Mt of beneficiable iron-formation. The evaluation of an iron ore prospect involves many factors which must be individually assessed in order to arrive at an estimate of the probable profitability of the deposit. Many of these are geological and are inherent in the deposit itself. Other factors are inherent aspects of the environment in which the ore is formed. Although the geological character of the ore does not change, technological advances in the processing techniques may have a great effect on the cost of putting the ore into marketable form. Geochemical, geophysical and remote sensing methods would be used for regional exploration. Chip sampling and drilling are useful for detailed exploration. Purely geological exploration techniques are applicable on a prospect scale in the exploration of iron ore deposits. Regional exploration targeting should choose late Archaean greenstone belts containing oxide facies iron-formation or Early Proterozoic basins located at craton margins as they are both known to host high-grade haematite orebodies formed by supergene/hypogene enrichment. Most types of iron ore deposits in southern Africa are described and classified. An attempt is made to emphasize the major controls on mineralisation, in the hope that these may be applicable to exploration both in the southern African region and within analogous settings around the world.

Tectonics plays an important role in the genesis and subsequent mlnlng development of the Kwaggashoek East ore body. Lithological key units control the effectiveness of the ore forming processes, affecting the in situ ore reserve, The Kwaggashoek East deposit is the product of primary and secondary processes. A genetic model focussed on the source, migration and deposition of iron suggests a possible original source of iron as the product of very dilute hydrothermal input into deep ocean waters, with subsequent migration through structural conduits. Supergene processes account for the upgrading of the ore and the phosphorus redistribution. A good correlation between samples in a preliminary geostatistical study reflects the effectiveness of this process in the high grade ore zone. A broad overview of the economic issues which affect the commercialization of iron, indicates a balanced supply-demand situation for the five next years. The reserve estimation procedure requires accurate scientific terminology and appropriate methodology. Documentation is essential and should be detailed enough to allow for future reassessment. The results of three estimation methods in Kwaggashoek East differ by less than 5%. The accuracy of the final results depends more on geological interpretation and assumptions than on the method applied. Although optimization of grade and tonnage in the Kwaggashoek East deposit seems to be met with the actual cut-off grade used in the Thabazimbi mine district, the grade-quality concept introduced in this thesis indicates a decrease in the estimated reserves for the deposit

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This dissertation examines the performance of the Liberian iron ore industry from 1950-1985 and its viability in global markets, assuming stagnation (World Bank) and expansionist (Leontief et al.) expectations. It examines past trends in trade and investment patterns in the light of equilibrium allocations which imply the existence of efficient transportation links. This model assumes that given world sources and sinks as constrained by the supply and demand structure of the ore industry, each individual region acts as a basing point to maximize net social payoff from its ore trade. The model is validated on recent (1984) industry data and "explains" 91% of actual demands and 79% of actual trade flows. Price discrimination is evidenced in the form both of monopsony power exercised by some buyers in the Pacific Basin over intra-regional (e.g., Australian) and extra-regional (e.g., Brazilian, Liberian) producers and monopoly power permitting modest rents to be collected by some producers in Africa, including Liberia, from the European markets. In North America, rents appear for some domestic producers in some simulations. These results confirm quantitatively the descriptive results of others while postulating a much more competitive environment for producers. The model assumes world trade doubles through year 2000 or stagnates. Liberia fares poorly in either case, losing significant portions of its U.S. and of its EEC markets to Canada and Brazil respectively despite the maintenance of some resource rents globally. This analysis quantifies for the first time the claims of earlier studies that price discrimination exists, but indicates actual prices may be closer to long-run competitive prices than has generally been assumed by others. Thus, realistic ways for Liberia to increase its market shares require not only an expansion of the industrialized countries' steel industries but an aggressive willingness to absorb transport and other costs by foregoing rents and lowering costs. Removing diseconomies of small transport scale, absorbing freight, and lower U.S. exchange rates combined with world steel expansion could increase Liberian annual shipments by as much as 50 million tonnes per year or $1 billion annually.

Através de revisão bibliográfica e estudo experimental, o presente trabalho apresenta uma análise da influência de diversos parâmetros sobre a velocidade da reação entre minério de ferro e carbono, aglomerados na forma de pelotas auto-redutoras. Os parâmetros estudados foram: temperatura, tipo e quantidade de redutor, uso de adições, composição e vazão dos gases no recipiente de reação, tamanho da pelota. A técnica experimental consistiu em medi-se a velocidade de reação por análise termogravimétrica, complementada por análise do gás de saída e difração de Raios-X em pelotas parcialmente reduzidas. Verificou-se que o mecanismo controlador da velocidade de reação é determinado por um conjunto de parâmetros inter-relacionados, e que pode mudar o progresso de reação. A etapa química da reação é controlada pela gaseificação do carbono por CO2. Transporte de calor e difusão gasosa através dos poros da pelota exercem forte influência sobre a velocidade; os fatores que favorecem a influência de transporte de calor são: aumento de temperatura; aumento da reatividade do redutor; uso de catalisador; diminuição do diâmetro da pelota; início de reação; redução sob atmosfera CO/CO2 de composição próxima ao equilíbrio wustitaferro. A influência de difusão gasosa se faz sentir quando a reação é efetuada sob atmosfera de gás inerte, que penetra nos poros da pelota, diluindo a atmosfera CO/CO2 reinante no interior da mistura de partículas. Nessas condições, esta influência é maior quanto menor for a temperatura de reação, quanto menos reativo for o redutor, quanto menor for a pelota, e nos estágios finais de reação. Verificou-se ainda que parâmetros relacionados à composição das pelotas, bem como a temperatura do processo, tem grande influência sobre o comportamento dimensional dos aglomerados.Assim, pelotas com ganga básica (com carvão vegetal e adições básicas) tendem a inchar catastroficamente, ao passo que pelotas com ganga ácida (com coque ou carvão mineral como redutores) não apresentam este fenômeno. Microscopia eletrônica de varredura indicou a presença de ferro filamentar em pelotas que apresentaram inchamento catastrófico. Analisou-se ainda como a presença de matéria volátil no redutor afeta a cinética de reação e o comportamento dimensional das pelotas, e também sob que condições o ferro formado na redução catalisa a reação. / The factors that affect the rate of reaction between iron oxides and carbon were analysed by means of literature review and experimental investigation. The iron ore and the carbon were agglomerated in the form of self-reducing pellets. The investigated variables were: temperature, type and amount of redactor, presence of additives, gas composition and flow in the reactor vessel, and pellet\'s size. The experimental technique employed was thermogravimetric analysis, complemented by gas analysis and X-ray diffraction. It was shown that the rate control may change in the course of the reaction, and it depends on a number of interrelated varibles. The slowest reaction of the chemical step is the carbon gaseification by CO2. Heat transfer and gaseous diffusion through pellets pores play an important role in the rate; the factors that favours the heat transfer influence are: temperature increase, reducto\'s reactivity increase, the use of catalyst, pellet\'s size decrease, start up the reaction; reduction under CO/CO2 atmosphere near wustite-iron equilibrium. When the reaction is performed under inert gas atmosphere, gaseous diffusion through pellet\'s pores can dilute the CO/CO2 atmosphere prevailing in the pallet\'s core. Under these conditions, this effect is more pronounced for lower temperature, lower carbon reactivity, smaller pellets and at the end of the reaction. It was also found that variables related to pellet composition as well as process temperature greatly affect the pellet\'s dimensional behavior. In fact, pellets containing basic guangue (e.g.wood charcoal and/or basic additives) show catastrophic swelling; in contrast, pellets containing acid gangue (e.g. coke or coal) have good dimensional stability. Iron whiskers were observed with scanning electron microscope on pellets that swell catastrophically. The influence of reductor\'s volatile matter upon kinetics and dimensional behavior of pellets was also analysed as well as the catalysis of the reaction by the iron formed in the course of the reduction.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri, School of Mines and Metallurgy, 1931. / The entire thesis text is included in file. Typescript. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed February 9, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 38-39).

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Thèse (M.Sc.T.) -- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 2006. / La p. de t. porte en outre: Mémoire présenté à l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi comme exigence partielle de la maîtrise en sciences de la terre. CaQCU Bibliogr.: f. 274-294. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU