Product Development

The Project is targeting the export of Channel Iron Deposit (CID) hydro-hematite at 40Mta, for acceptance as CID feedstock used in ferrous burdening, for steelmaking operations in China and East Asia.  A premium 58% Fe grade West Pilbara sinter fines (WPFTM) is envisaged to be produced from the Stage 1 ore bodies.  Recent mine scheduling and laboratory piloting, confirms viability of exporting a CID product with ca. 8% LOI value. The full predictions for typical contents for WPF is as follows.   

Through 2018, APIM will continue further development of the WPF product; increasing the Fe grade and minimising contained Al2O3 gangue through increased blending of resource additions and ore processing investigations.

  • Current WPF-0 product specifications target 58% Fe and 2.8% (ceiling 2.9%) Al2O3 in the WPF shipping products.
  • Product SiO2 target is 5.6% subject to ongoing study refinements for market typical specifications and end-user blast furnace requirements.

Target WPF-0 product properties

WPF Chemical Composition
(% dry material basis)
Typical min max
Fe total 58.0
Al2O3 2.8 2.9
SiO2 5.6
P 0.09
S 0.02
Mn 0.04
TiO2 0.15
CaO 0.08
MgO 0.08
K2O 0.04
Na2O 0.015
Cl 0.008
Zn <0.005
Pb <0.005
Cu <0.005
Cr <0.005
V <0.005
As <0.005
Ni <0.005
Co <0.005
Ba <0.005
Sn <0.005
H2O [a.r.] 7.0
L.O.I. 8.3
WPF Size Analysis
(% dry material basis) (ISO 4701)

(Cum % Passing)
Size range Typical min max
-14.0mm 100
-12.5mm 99
-9.5mm 95
-6.3mm 82
-1.7mm 43
-0.15mm 8
WPF Bulk Density
(x1000 kg/m3 a.r.)
Typical min max
Loose 1.85
Tamped 2.20
  • The WPF0 sinter feed product is designed to fill a high-proportion of the blending ratios by the Customers. The coarse ore ( ca. 18% in +6.3 mm fraction) and low ultrafines content ( ca. 10% <0.15 mm fraction) coupled with 1850 kg/m3 density allows for quasi-particle formation and high performing sinter beds for blast furnace feed preparation.
  • Texturally, the product is competent, composed mainly of dense hydro-hematite and goethite and a very low ochreous goethite content, contributing to desirable sintering properties of the WPF-0 CID product.
  • For the establishment of Customer value-in-use (VIU) attributes APIM has engaged with top-ranked crude steel producers and world-class research institutions, for:
    • competitive and base/breakeven pricing benchmarking for WPF – based on ‘real’ Customer hot metal/liquid steel manufacturing conditions;
    • improved understanding of ore products. Studies concluded suggest WPIOP will produce a CID product with superior metallurgical properties;
    • APIM-sponsored Customer product evaluation programmes confirms amenability of WPF to blending at high proportions up to 25%, on China Customer basis.

Following ongoing restructuring of the iron and steel manufacturing sector in China and in response to Customer demand for iron ore feed, APIM is further improving the VIU attributes of WPF product with ongoing refinement of mining schedules.  

Through 2018, APIM will be targeting increased product differentiation and improved VIU from its 58% Fe product offering. In addition, a, standalone high-grade CID, low contained Al2O3 offering is presently being investigated to compliment the currently planned 58% Fe WPF-0.It is intended to offer Customers further blending flexibility for increased Productivity yield from their integrated iron and steelmaking processes.