BIO-REDUCTION OF METAL ORES INTEGRATED WITH BIOMASS PYROLYSIS
Some variations provide a composition for reducing a metal ore, the composition comprising a carbon-metal ore particulate, wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate comprises at least about 0.1 wt % to at most about 50 wt % fixed carbon on a moisture-free and ash-free basis, and wherein the carbon is at least 50% renewable carbon as determined from a measurement of the 14 C/ 12 C isotopic ratio. Some variations provide a process for reducing a metal ore, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock; pyrolyzing the feedstock to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas comprising hydrogen or carbon monoxide; obtaining a metal ore comprising a metal oxide; combining the carbon with the metal ore, to generate a carbon-metal ore particulate; optionally pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate; and utilizing the pyrolysis off-gas to chemically reduce the metal oxide to elemental metal, such as iron. The disclosed technologies are environmentally superior to conventional processes based on coal.
1 . A process for reducing a metal ore, the process comprising:
providing a biomass feedstock;
pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock, thereby generating a biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis off-gas, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises carbon, wherein the pyrolysis off-gas comprises hydrogen or carbon monoxide;
obtaining a metal ore, wherein the metal ore comprises a metal oxide and the metal ore is in particulate form;
combining the carbon with the metal ore, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore particulate; and
chemically reducing the metal oxide, wherein the chemically reducing is achieved using the pyrolysis off-gas.
2 . The process of claim 1 , comprising pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore pellet.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the biogenic reagent comprises at least 50 wt % fixed carbon.
4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the metal ore is selected from iron ore, copper ore, nickel ore, magnesium ore, manganese ore, aluminum ore, tin ore, zinc ore, cobalt ore, chromium ore, tungsten ore, molybdenum ore, or a combination thereof.
5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate is a carbon-metal ore fine or a carbon-metal ore lump.
6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the chemically reducing indirectly utilizes the pyrolysis off-gas by first partially oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas, thereby generating a reducing gas, and then utilizing the reducing gas to chemically reduce the metal oxide.
7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the chemically reducing co-utilizes a reducing gas obtained from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of the biogenic reagent.
8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the chemically reducing co-utilizes a reducing gas obtained from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of light hydrocarbons.
9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is co-located at a metal ore mine or at a metal ore processing plant.
10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolyzing and the chemically reducing are conducted at the same site.
11 . A process for reducing a metal ore, the process comprising:
providing a biomass feedstock;
pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock, thereby generating a biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis off-gas, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises carbon, wherein the pyrolysis off-gas comprises hydrocarbons;
obtaining a metal ore, wherein the metal ore comprises a metal oxide and is in particulate form;
combining the carbon and the metal ore, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore particulate;
partially oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas, thereby generating a reducing gas and heat; and
chemically reducing the metal oxide, wherein the chemically reducing is achieved using the reducing gas;
wherein the pyrolyzing utilizes the heat.
12 . The process of claim 11 , comprising pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore pellet.
13 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the biogenic reagent comprises at least 50 wt % fixed carbon.
14 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the metal ore is selected from iron ore, copper ore, nickel ore, magnesium ore, manganese ore, aluminum ore, tin ore, zinc ore, cobalt ore, chromium ore, tungsten ore, molybdenum ore, or a combination thereof.
15 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate is a carbon-metal ore fine or carbon-metal ore lump.
16 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the chemically reducing co-utilizes a reducing gas obtained from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of light hydrocarbons.
17 . A process for reducing a metal ore, the process comprising:
providing a biomass feedstock;
pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock, thereby generating a biogenic reagent, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises carbon;
obtaining a metal ore, wherein the metal ore comprises a metal oxide and is in particulate form;
combining the carbon with the metal ore, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore particulate;
generating a reducing gas from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of the biogenic reagent; and
chemically reducing the metal oxide, wherein the chemically reducing is achieved using the reducing gas.
18 . The process of claim 17 , comprising pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore pellet.
19 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the biogenic reagent comprises at least 50 wt % fixed carbon.
20 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the metal ore is selected from iron ore, copper ore, nickel ore, magnesium ore, manganese ore, aluminum ore, tin ore, zinc ore, cobalt ore, chromium ore, tungsten ore, molybdenum ore, or a combination thereof.
21 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate is a carbon-metal ore fine or a carbon-metal ore lump.
22 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the chemically reducing co-utilizes a second reducing gas obtained from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of light hydrocarbons.
23 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the chemically reducing is conducted in a metal ore furnace or upstream of a metal ore furnace.
24 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the process is co-located at a metal ore mine or a metal ore processing plant.
25 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the pyrolyzing and the chemically reducing are conducted at the same site.
26 . A process for treating a metal ore, the process comprising:
providing a biomass feedstock;
pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock, thereby generating a biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis off-gas, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises carbon, wherein the pyrolysis off-gas comprises hydrogen or carbon monoxide;
obtaining a metal ore, wherein the metal ore is in particulate form, wherein the metal ore comprises a metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal hydride, metal nitride, metal carbide, metal boride, metal phosphide, or a combination thereof;
combining the carbon with the metal ore, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore particulate; and
chemically producing an elemental metal from the metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal hydride, metal nitride, metal carbide, metal boride, metal phosphide, or a combination thereof, wherein the chemically producing is achieved using the pyrolysis off-gas.
27 . The process of claim 26 , comprising pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate, thereby generating a carbon-metal ore pellet.
28 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the biogenic reagent comprises at least 50 wt % fixed carbon.
29 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the metal ore is selected from iron ore, copper ore, nickel ore, magnesium ore, manganese ore, aluminum ore, tin ore, zinc ore, cobalt ore, chromium ore, tungsten ore, molybdenum ore, or a combination thereof.
30 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate is a carbon-metal ore fine or a carbon-metal ore lump.
31 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the chemical producing indirectly utilizes the pyrolysis off-gas by first partially oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas, thereby generating a reducing gas, and then utilizing the reducing gas to chemically produce an elemental metal from the metal oxide, metal sulfide, metal hydride, metal nitride, metal carbide, metal boride, metal phosphide, or a combination thereof.
32 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the chemically producing co-utilizes a reducing gas obtained from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of the biogenic reagent.
33 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the chemically producing co-utilizes a reducing gas obtained from gasification, partial oxidation, or steam reforming of light hydrocarbons.
34 . A method of optimizing the reduction of a metal oxide, the method comprising:
pyrolyzing biomass, thereby generating carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas;
oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas, wherein the oxidizing is achieved using oxygen at intentionally less than the combustion-stoichiometric amount of the oxygen, thereby generating heat and carbon monoxide; and
reducing the metal oxide, wherein the reducing is achieved using the heat and the carbon monoxide.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas further generates hydrogen; and wherein the hydrogen is also utilized to reduce the metal oxide.
36 . A method of optimizing the reduction of a metal oxide, the method comprising:
pyrolyzing biomass, thereby generating carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas;
oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas, wherein the oxidizing is achieved using oxygen at intentionally less than the combustion-stoichiometric amount of the oxygen, thereby generating heat and hydrogen; and
reducing the metal oxide, wherein the reducing is achieved using the heat and the hydrogen.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the oxidizing the pyrolysis off-gas further generates carbon monoxide; and wherein the carbon monoxide is also utilized to reduce the metal oxide.