Iron Sand Mine

The Iron Sand Project is one of the development projects in Indonesia. Located in the Province of West Nusa Tenggara, Lombok, this project is planned to develop in stages to ensure stable growth. The initial stage will begin with the processing of Iron sand processed using various methods, including:

1. Mining and Extraction

The initial stage involves extracting the iron sand from the mining site. This can be done manually or with heavy equipment like excavators and bulldozers. Once extracted, the iron sand is transported to a processing facility.

2. Crushing and Grinding

After extraction, the raw iron sand undergoes crushing and grinding to reduce its particle size. This process facilitates the separation of iron minerals from other materials. The equipment used includes:

  • Crushers: To break down large rocks into smaller pieces.
  • Ball Mills or Rod Mills: To grind the material into fine powder.

3. Magnetic Separation

Magnetic separation is the primary method used in iron sand processing. This method takes advantage of the magnetic properties of iron minerals (such as magnetite or hematite) to separate them from non-magnetic materials. The equipment includes:
Magnetic Separators:
Use magnetic fields to attract and separate iron particles.Low-Intensity Magnetic Separators: For strongly magnetic minerals.High-Intensity Magnetic Separators: For weakly magnetic minerals.This process can be conducted in a wet environment (wet magnetic separation) or a dry environment (dry magnetic separation).
 

4. Gravity Separation

Gravity separation utilizes the differences in density between iron minerals and impurities. Equipment like spiral concentrators, jig separators, or shaking tables is used to separate heavier particles (iron ore) from lighter impurities. This method is often used as a complement to magnetic separation.

5. Flotation

Flotation is employed to improve the grade of iron ore by separating unwanted impurities. This involves adding specific chemicals to water, which causes impurities to float while the iron ore remains at the bottom.

6. Washing Process

Washing is performed to remove impurities such as clay, mud, and organic materials attached to the iron sand. This process involves using water and a cyclone separator.

7. Pelletizing Process

Once the iron sand is concentrated, it is often formed into pellets for easier handling and smelting. The pelletizing process includes:

  • Fine Grinding: Grinding the iron sand into fine powder.
  • Binder Addition: Adding a binding material (e.g., bentonite).
  • Pellet Formation: Forming the powder into small, uniform pellets.

8. Roasting Process

Roasting involves heating the concentrated iron sand at high temperatures to increase the iron content and alter its mineral structure, making it easier to smelt. This process is conducted in a rotary kiln or shaft furnace. Roasting also helps reduce sulfur and other impurities
 

9. Smelting Process

The final step involves smelting the iron sand to extract metallic iron or steel. This is done in furnaces such as:

  • Blast Furnaces: Use coke and flux (e.g., limestone) to reduce the iron ore and separate impurities.
  • Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF): Use electricity to melt and refine the material.
  • Induction Furnaces: Use electromagnetic induction to achieve the same purpose.

10. Refining

After the metallic iron is obtained, a refining process is used to remove remaining impurities such as carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, and other unwanted elements. Depending on the desired purity, chemical or electro-metallurgical refining methods may be used.

Each of these methods can be tailored based on the quality of the iron sand and the desired output. Often, multiple methods are combined to achieve optimal results in iron sand processing.Sand processing is planned to start in 2024 and first production is targeted for early 2025.

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