Sulfur fixation performance of calcium-bearing carbonates in iron ore roasting process: Thermodynamics, phase transition, microstructure evolution, and kinetics

Roasting technology is increasingly used in the beneficiation of refractory iron ores. During the roasting process, the presence of pyrite in some iron ores leads to the formation of SO2, requiring effective sulfur fixation techniques. This study proposed an innovative in-situ sulfur fixation method by pre-oxidation roasting, in which sulfur was fixed during the oxidation roasting process before reduction roasting. The effects of the main iron mineral (hematite), primary gangue mineral (quartz), and common calcium-containing carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite) on sulfur migration during pyrite roasting were investigated, with particular emphasis on the sulfur fixation capabilities of calcite and dolomite. The study included thermodynamic equilibrium analysis, phase transitions and microstructural evolution in different reaction systems. The results showed that calcite and dolomite effectively reduced SO2 emissions by forming CaSO4 and MgSO4, with calcite exhibiting a stronger sulfur fixation capacity for the same mass. Kinetic analysis indicated that pyrite pyrolysis followed a two-step random nucleation and growth model. Furthermore, the addition of calcite increased the apparent activation energy of SO2 formation and altered the reaction pathway, providing insight into the sulfur fixation mechanism of calcite from a kinetic perspective.