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.

Number 5

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.

Number 6

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.

Number 6

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.