Abstract
The effect of raw materials on the temperature development and prereduction behavior of Comilog and Nchwaning manganese ores (3.33–4.00 mm or 11.20–15.00 mm) were investigated in a CO-CO2 atmosphere. Experiments were conducted at a heating rate of 6 °C/min from room temperature to 1000 °C where the ore was mixed with inert material (quartz) in various ratios. A similar heating program gave dissimilar temperature development for Comilog and Nchwaning ores due to differences in oxygen levels and reduction rates. The temperature development, and thus reduction rate, decreased with the increasing amount of inert material in the mix for Comilog ore in size 3.33–4.00 mm. The peak reaction rates observed during reduction were 2.4 wt%/min, 1.0 wt%/min, and 0.8 wt%/min for an ore:quartz weight ratio of 1:0, 1:1, and 1:3, respectively. For Comilog ore in size 11.20–15.00 mm, and Nchwaning ore in both sizes, the temperature development and reduction rates were slightly or insignificantly affected. It was suggested that the effect was low for reactions under a diffusion-controlled kinetic regime.