US Patent 7438730 Method of producing iron oxide pellets

A method for producing an iron oxide pellet including the steps of adding water to a raw material mixture comprising iron oxide which serves as a primary component, a carbonaceous material in an amount sufficient for reducing the iron oxide, an organic binder in an amount sufficient for binding the iron oxide and the carbonaceous material, and an inorganic coagulant in an amount of not less than 0.05 mass % and less than 1 mass %; pelletizing the resultant mixture to thereby obtain a green pellet; and drying the green pellet until the moisture content is reduced to equal to or less than 1.0 mass %. The thus-produced iron oxide pellet is charged in a reducing furnace for reduction to thereby obtain a reduced iron pellet.