Sponge iron is a metallic product produced through direct reduction of iron ore in the solid state. It is a substitute for scrap and is mainly used in making steel through the secondary route. The process of sponge iron making aims to remove the oxygen from iron ore. The quality of sponge iron is primarily ascertained by the percentage of metallization (removal of oxygen), which is the ratio of metallic iron to the total iron present in the product.
Sponge iron manufacture is highly sensitive to raw material characteristics. Therefore, it is essential to examine the chemical and physical characteristics of raw materials, both individually and in combination. The basic raw materials for the production of sponge iron are iron ore, non-coking coal and dolomite. Sizing of the Raw materials also play vital role in sponge iron manufacturing process. The required size of Iron ore, MPS (Mean particle size) , its physical properties like T.I., A.I. & chemical properties like Fe (T), LOI, gangue content In Sponge Iron Process , two types of coal are being used such as feed coal and injection coal.