The greatest success factor in Magnesite production is understanding the following formula:
MgCO3+Q -> MgO + CO2
You need 2.1 Tn of magnesite to obtain 1 Tn of magnesia. In other words, all the costs/Tn, before the kiln process have to be multiplied by a minimum of 2.1 to calculate the end cost per tonne of magnesia.
The viability of your magnesia company depends on the cost and quality of the Kiln Feed Material.
You need a minimum of 800 kcal/kg of energy to calcine the magnesite and 1100 kCal/kg to obtain Sinterized Magnesite (Dead Burned Magensite). Therefore, the energy efficiency and the choice of fuel will determine your competitiveness and the environmental challenges you will have to face.
1) Mines and beneficiation:
Although magnesite mines operations may not look very complex, understanding what an industrial mineral is, how your magnesite behaves and what the best cost effective beneficiation system is in regards to the end market, requires a global study of all the elements involved in your business. Therefore, only a company with a deep knowledge of the magnesite industry will offer the best support… And Ganmag can do it!
2) Calcination and sinterisation:
Your magnesite, your beneficiation system, your market goal and the environmental limitations, will determine the best technology for calcining or sintering. Unfortunately, many promising projects have been stopped just because of a wrong choice of kilns.
If you have an operating factory in risk or low profitability, Ganmag will help you improve the processes necessary to obtain the right products for the market at the right cost, increasing profitability. Of course, we will be taking into account your raw material, your installations and the end market.
Ganmag has driven the start-up of two DBM and mixing plants, and the production of CCM and cement plants.
3) Fuel, environment and CO2:
Total energy cost, determined by the process efficiency, the price of fuel per Kcal and the related environmental and CO2 emission costs, will define the profitability of a magnesia company.
Every country or region has its own environmental legislation and CO2 restrictions. The important question is: how to adapt to overcome these difficulties, and even increase profit with minimum investment? Ganmag will help you!
Members of the Ganmag team have participated in Euromines Steering Comitee, contributing to the creation of the best available practices in the UE for NOx and SOx emissions. We have also negotiated high CO2 emissions levels for the magnesia industry in the EU.
