Chemical Comminution - Iron Making Process

Abstract

A simple method of extractive metallurgy, with no need for high temperatures, of any ore by using mechanical energy combined with a selected pure element determined from Ellingham diagrams is described. An improved iron making process based on chemical comminution is described. The method includes producing an iron powder from iron ore that eliminates the need for carbon to reduce the iron. This also removes the major source (coke) of sulphur from the process producing cleaner iron, a problematic element in most iron alloy production that requires additional processing. Additionally, provides substantial benefits in the form of minimizing the carbon footprint, as well as associated energy and costs. Furthermore, milling with a process control agent allows for direct production of steels and cast irons. Even further, this chemical comminution process can be accomplished in air dramatically reducing processing costs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing one or more ore using chemical comminution comprising the steps of:
 adding an ore powder to a mechanical mill;   adding an elemental powder to the mechanical mill;   applying activation energy by mechanical milling.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ore powder is an iron ore powder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the iron ore powder forms an iron powder in the absence of carbon. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the elemental powder is silicon. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of producing pure iron powder from iron ore using preexisting comminution infrastructure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of selecting the pure element by selecting a lower energy of formation compound provided on an Ellingham diagram. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein mechanical energy overcomes the activation energy initiating a spontaneous reaction to create a pure iron and silicon oxide. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the mechanical energy increases the internal energy of the powder until it overcomes the activation barrier without increase the temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activation energy is imparted using a SPEX mill. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activation energy is imparted using a rod mill. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activation energy is imparted using an attritor mill. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activation energy is imparted using a ball mill. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activation energy is imparted using a planetary mill. 
     
     
         14 . A method to initiate chemical reactions comprising the steps of:
 selecting an ore powder;   overcoming a reaction activation energy by means of structural changes from mechanical energy imparted to the ore powder with a pure element at near-room temperature.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of overcoming the reaction activation energy without high temperatures. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of selecting an iron ore powder. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the iron ore powder forms an iron ore in the absence of carbon. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of producing from steel to cast irons using a process control agent. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the process control agent is a hexane. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the production step does occurs in the absence of production of direct greenhouse gas.