Basic overview of our process

The actual process and chemical reactions involved are complex. However the basic process is summarised below.

Laterite ore is first crushed into a powder like size in the crushing plant. The crushed ore is then mixed with coke, limestone and other material in mixing machines and transported by conveyor belts to the sintering plant. The raw material mix is then placed on a steel conveyor belt in the
sintering plant where it is heated by gas fired furnace to form larger size pieces (called ‘sinter’).

The sinter is moved to the mixing plant where it is mixed with other materials such as coke and
limestone in different combinations using computer controlled weight hoppers. The mixed materials are then transported to the top of the furnace where an operator controls the loading order and timing. Hot gas generated from the hot blast stove is channelled into the blast furnace to
heat the mixture. The purpose of the blast furnace is to chemically reduce and physically convert metallic oxides into liquid metal.

The resultant molten nickel pig iron flowing out of the furnace is cast into moulds and ready for delivery.