Formation of fuel and smelting materials based on peat and alumina production waste

The growing scarcity of natural resources necessitates the efficient and integrated use of raw materials. One promising direction involves repurposing iron-bearing waste from alumina production as a supplementary feedstock in ferrous metallurgy. Despite extensive research, large-scale implementation of this approach remains limited. Utilizing anthropogenic materials — particularly iron-rich residues — as additives in metallurgical charges supports both resource efficiency and environmentally responsible waste management. This study examines the formation of metallurgical pellets incorporating 50 % red mud, a by-product of alumina production. The formulation was optimized to ensure mechanical integrity and reducing capacity, with high-moor peat employed as both a binder and a reducing agent for Fe2O3. Thermal treatment at 560 °C resulted in the formation of magnetic phases, including magnetite and maghemite, enabling subsequent magnetic separation to recover an iron-rich concentrate suitable for inclusion in standard metallurgical feedstocks. The influence of pellet granulometry post-thermal treatment on magnetic separation efficiency was evaluated across a range of magnetic field strengths. Optimal processing conditions were established, yielding a non-magnetic fraction comprising 19.4 % of the total mass. These findings confirm the feasibility of low-temperature thermal treatment of peat–sludge pellets, followed by magnetic separation, to produce a viable intermediate material for use in direct iron reduction processes.This work was supported by the International Competence Centre in Mining Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO as part of the «Science» project (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation).