Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore

Kosdauletov, Nurlybai; Suleimen, Bakyt; Adilov, Galymzhan; Nurumgaliyev, Assylbek; Kelamanov, Bauyrzhan; Kuatbay, Yerbol; Zhunuskaliyev, Talgat; Bulekova, Gulzat; Salikhov, Semen; Abdirashit, Assylbek

doi:10.3390/met15121330

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Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore

by

Nurlybai Kosdauletov

^1,2

,

Bakyt Suleimen

^1,2,*,

Galymzhan Adilov

^1,2,

Assylbek Nurumgaliyev

¹,

Bauyrzhan Kelamanov

²,

Yerbol Kuatbay

^1,3,

Talgat Zhunuskaliyev

^3,4,

Gulzat Bulekova

^1,*,

Semen Salikhov

⁵ and

Assylbek Abdirashit

^1,2

¹

Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Karaganda Industrial University, Temirtau 101400, Kazakhstan

²

Department of Metallurgy and Mining, K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University, Aktobe 030000, Kazakhstan

³

Scientific Research Center «Metallurgy and Mineral Processing», Astana 010000, Kazakhstan

⁴

Kazakhstan Department of Science, Eurasian Technological University, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan

⁵

Department of Pyrometallurgical and Foundry Technologies, South Ural State University, Lenin Prospekt 76, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Metals 2025, 15(12), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15121330

Submission received: 28 October 2025 / Revised: 27 November 2025 / Accepted: 28 November 2025 / Published: 2 December 2025

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Abstract

Thermodynamic modeling combined with experimental reduction tests was conducted to investigate the selective reduction behavior of iron-manganese ore using hydrogen gas at 800–900 °C. The results reveal that hydrogen reduction at a flow rate of 0.5 L/min promotes the stepwise transformation of iron oxides (Fe₂O₃ → Fe₃O₄ → FeO → Fe), accompanied by the decomposition of the intermediate spinel phase Fe2MnO4, resulting in the formation of metallic iron. In contrast, the reduction of MnO to metallic manganese is thermodynamically unfavorable (ΔG > 0), limiting the extent of manganese reduction. Experimental findings confirm the formation of metallic iron inclusions enriched in Fe, while manganese predominantly remains in the form of MnO and silicate-associated oxides. X-ray diffraction analysis of reduced samples shows a decrease in Fe₃O₄ and Fe₂MnO₄ phases with increasing reduction degree and indicates the growth of metallic Fe particles with rising temperature. These results demonstrate that hydrogen enables controlled and selective reduction of iron with minimal manganese conversion, providing a promising route for subsequent efficient magnetic separation of metallic and oxide phases following reduction roasting.

Keywords: thermodynamic modeling; hydrogen; pre-reduction; iron–manganese ores; ferroalloys; decarbonization; reduction temperature; green metallurgy

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kosdauletov, N.; Suleimen, B.; Adilov, G.; Nurumgaliyev, A.; Kelamanov, B.; Kuatbay, Y.; Zhunuskaliyev, T.; Bulekova, G.; Salikhov, S.; Abdirashit, A. Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore. Metals 2025, 15, 1330. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15121330

AMA Style

Kosdauletov N, Suleimen B, Adilov G, Nurumgaliyev A, Kelamanov B, Kuatbay Y, Zhunuskaliyev T, Bulekova G, Salikhov S, Abdirashit A. Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore. Metals. 2025; 15(12):1330. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15121330

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kosdauletov, Nurlybai, Bakyt Suleimen, Galymzhan Adilov, Assylbek Nurumgaliyev, Bauyrzhan Kelamanov, Yerbol Kuatbay, Talgat Zhunuskaliyev, Gulzat Bulekova, Semen Salikhov, and Assylbek Abdirashit. 2025. "Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore" Metals 15, no. 12: 1330. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15121330

APA Style

Kosdauletov, N., Suleimen, B., Adilov, G., Nurumgaliyev, A., Kelamanov, B., Kuatbay, Y., Zhunuskaliyev, T., Bulekova, G., Salikhov, S., & Abdirashit, A. (2025). Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore. Metals, 15(12), 1330. https://doi.org/10.3390/met15121330

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Thermodynamic and Experimental Analysis of the Selective Reduction of Iron by Hydrogen from the Kergetas Iron–Manganese Ore

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