Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of reduction roasting parameters on the phase transformations of the Ushkatyn-III ferruginous manganese ore and the efficiency of subsequent magnetic separation. The experimental procedure included preliminary high-intensity magnetic separation, reduction roasting at 650 °C for 3–5 h using 20–30 wt.% coal as the reducing agent, and low-intensity dry magnetic separation at magnetic field intensities of 0.1–0.6 T. Chemical composition was determined by standard analytical methods, while phase composition was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Preliminary magnetic separation increased the manganese content in the magnetic pre-concentrate to 30.71–35.09 wt.%. The optimum results were obtained after roasting for 5 h with 30 wt.% coal, followed by magnetic separation at 0.2 T, producing a low-iron concentrate containing 33.26 wt.% Mn and 0.67 wt.% Fe, with a manganese recovery of 87.79% and an Mn/Fe ratio of 49.6. XRD analysis confirmed the partial reduction of hematite to magnetite (Fe3O4), providing the basis for efficient magnetic separation. The proposed process offers an effective approach for upgrading low-grade ferruginous manganese ores for manganese ferroalloy production.