Direct metallurgical processing of small-size iron-bearing materials, as iron ores and concentrates, scale, metallurgical dusts, slag, slimes, is practically impossible without prior agglomeration. For this purpose, small-size iron-bearing materials are mainly subjected to agglomeration or pelletizing. However, there is one more agglomeration method — briquetting. Briquetting may be a preferable process for agglomeration of high-grade iron ores. High-grade iron ores do not need preconcentration, and, therefore, do not need fine grinding. Consequently, pelletizing that requires starting raw material grinding, is not rational in this case, and agglomeration, as compared with briquetting, is a more costly and environmentally harmful process. Briquetting may be performed both with binders and without them. Both organic and non-organic kinds of binders are known. Despite that binders of organic origin are used less frequently, they may be rather promising, as they permit to produce strong briquettes, and burn out in sintering or metallurgical processing, therefore, not decreasing iron content in briquette. Small-size disintegrated martitehydrohematite iron ore briquetting flow sheet includes pre-screening. After screening, oversize is subjected to metallurgical processing, and undersize — to briquetting. Carboxymethylcellulose solution or combination binder — suspension consisting of carboxymethylcellulose and finely ground ore, stabilized by surface-active agent, are used as binders. The proposed technologies permit to produce briquettes from natural iron ore, providing high strength and not decreasing iron grade in briquettes.

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2. Patent application No 2011118712, 10.05.2011.