BigPatents India

A process is provided for pelletising a metal ore comprising forming an intimate mixture of particulate ore and a binder in the presence of moisture, forming green pellets by agitation of the mixture and firing the green pellets to produce ore pellets. In the process the binder comprises a hydroxamate polymer made from water- soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and which has pendant groupS of the formula O-C-N, OH/H, This provides advantages in wet strength, drystrength and drop number of pellets, especiallY at low moisture content of the pellets.