Why Iron Ore
Iron Ore Concentrate
Our Process
Future of Iron Ore
Our
PRODUCT
Why Iron Ore.
Iron ore is primarily used to create steel, which is essential for human progress; from culinary uses, electronics, surgical tools and medical equipment, architecture and construction to automotive and aerospace applications, it helps drive the world’s economy, and allows human beings to harness their innovation to actualize their wildest dreams.
Steel is completely recyclable; it can be converted into material of the same quality over and over. Recycling steel reduces emissions and environmental impact, and each recycled tonne of scrap steel saves more than 1,400 kilograms of iron ore!
Other uses of iron ore include creating powdered iron for magnets and catalysts, radioactive iron for biochemical research, iron blue used in paints, ink, cosmetics, dyeing, fertilizer, and industrial finishes, and black iron oxide – a pigment used in polishing compounds, metallurgy, medicine, and the electronics industry.
Canada exported 52.2 million tonnes of iron ore in 2019, worth roughly $6.6 billion. Pelletized iron ore accounted for 29.6% ($2.4 billion) of the volume, while the remaining 70.4% ($4.2 billion) was iron ore concentrate.
Iron Ore Premium Concentrate
High Quality
65.5% Fe
Low Impurity
Low silica and manganese content
Significant Environmental Benefits
Lower Carbon Footprint per Tonne of Steel
Cost Benefits
Higher Iron = Lower Transport and Processing Costs per Tonne of Steel
Increased Blast Furnace Productivity
Higher Recovery of Iron
Reduced Slag Volumes
Cleaner Concentrate = Less Waste
Lower CO2 Emissions
Per tonne of steel produced
Reduced Energy Requirements
For pelletizing
Iron Ore Concentrate
High Quality
65.5% Fe
Low Impurity
Low silica and manganese content
Significant Environmental Benefits
Lower Carbon Footprint per Tonne of Steel
Cost Benefits
Higher Iron = Lower Transport and Processing Costs per Tonne of Steel
Increased Blast Furnace Productivity
Higher Recovery of Iron
Reduced Slag Volumes
Cleaner Concentrate = Less Waste
Lower CO2 Emissions
Per tonne of steel produced
Reduced Energy Requirements
For pelletizing
Our process.
Land Survey & Blasting
Surveying of land confirms whether iron ore is present. If so, blast team preps area for mining.
Iron Ore Is Crushed
Large raw material is crushed into smaller material to be processed in the mill.
Drying Process
The high-grade iron ore is dried to remove all moisture prior to shipping.
Train Loading
High-quality, dry iron ore is loaded onto a train and transported to port for shipping.
Heavy Equipment Operation
Heavy equipment is used to mine and haul iron ore from the pit to the crusher.
Iron Separation
After leaving the mill, iron ore is sent through the spirals where water and gravity are used to separate the heavier iron ore from the lighter impurities.
High-Tension Magnetic Removal Process
The dried iron ore is put through the high-tension magnetic process to remove final impurities.
High-Efficiency Steel Production
Iron ore is shipped to steel producers where low-waste steel is fabricated and used globally.
Land Survey & Blasting
Surveying of land confirms whether iron ore is present. If so, blast team preps area for mining.
Heavy Equipment Operation
Heavy equipment is used to mine and haul iron ore from the pit to the crusher.
Iron Ore Is Crushed
Large raw material is crushed into smaller material to be processed in the mill.
Iron Separation
After leaving the mill, iron ore is sent through the spirals where water and gravity are used to separate the heavier iron ore from the lighter impurities.
Drying Process
The high-grade iron ore is dried to remove all moisture prior to shipping.
High-Tension Magnetic Removal Process
The dried iron ore is put through the high-tension magnetic process to remove final impurities.
Train Loading
High-quality, dry iron ore is loaded onto a train and transported to port for shipping.
High-Efficiency Steel Production
Iron ore is shipped to steel producers where low-waste steel is fabricated and used globally.
The Future of Iron ore
Though the demand for iron ore continues to increase, there are many factors forging the path to the future of iron ore. Uncertainty in supply impacted by external factors causes volatility in the industry, and governments across the world are focusing on new decarbonization incentives.
Now the eyes of resource companies must shift to new processes, and new approaches to mining; new strategies for operational efficiency and sustainability, while reducing fuel usage. Increasing equipment availability and reducing maintenance time for equipment are proven ways to increase safety. Tacora is innovative in our approach, and we are constantly discovering new ways to improve health and safety within our operations, reducing accidents and mitigating ergonomic risks. We want to reduce cost, enhance the lives of our employees, and increase profit margins and in order to do so, we know that the industry has to adapt, and optimize to the future market; how will emerging technologies such as AI or drones be applied to the mining industry?
A shift to decarbonization strategies and EAF production may lessen overall interest in iron ore but still increases the relevance of iron ore by a large margin. Other factors that may impact the market are iron ore pricing mechanisms, high-grade iron ore pricing trends, global and regional iron ore market dynamics, trade flows, and procurement trends, as well as the development of China’s steelmaking industry. We are working tirelessly so that we will be ready to face these factors head on.