CASE STUDIES on Moist///Scan Moisture Sensors

Capability Profile
Iron Ore & Steel

Managing Moisture in Iron Ore Production and Steel Manufacturing

The Moist///scan® MA-500 range of on-line moisture sensors are the ideal solution to address moisture-related inefficiencies in plant performance, product quality concerns, and tonnage reconciliation anomalies, along the value adding chain, from pit-to-market.

Proven technology on ROM, beneficiation product, and iron ore based feedstock for steel manufacturing, the MA500 and MA500HDI measure percentage moisture with unmatched accuracy and precision.

The Moist///scan® patented microwave sensor technology easily handles large and erratic variations in water content, particle size, material bed depth and conveyor speeds, capturing moisture data that you can rely on and act on immediately!


Accurate...reliable…dependable


Customers in the iron ore and steel manufacturing industries include:

Whyalla Steelworks – SA, Australia.
Parabadoo Iron Ore Preparation Plant – WA, Australia.
Marandoo Iron Ore Preparation Plant – WA, Australia.
East Intercourse Island Port Facility – WA, Australia.
Port Dampier Port Facility - WA, Australia.

Case Study 1

Whyalla Steelworks – S.A, Australia

OneSteel Whyalla, the engine room of OneSteel’s business, is Australia’s largest steelworks producing approximately 1.2 million tonnes of raw steel each year.

Moisture is an important process parameter in the making of steel from iron ore. Too much moisture in the feedstock causes bridging to occur in the bins feeding the grinding mills whereby the feed “hangs up” causing clogging, thereby interrupting production flow. Also, variations in the feed moisture make it difficult to the control greenball moisture, the product from the pug mill. The level of moisture affects the greenball size distribution which has a major impact on balling ability.

An Moist///scan® MA-500 sensor is installed on the product conveyor belt exiting the pug mills and measures greenball moisture. The output signal from the MA-500 automatically adjusts a flow control valve in an underflow pump thereby regulating the flow of thickener to the pug mills to achieve optimum greenball moisture.

A 0.5% variation in moisture has a significant effect on product quality and plant process engineers aim for an optimum moisture level of 6.0-6.5 percent.

Prior to installation of the MoistScan MA-500HDi, the plant relied on manual lab sampling to estimate moisture before adjusting the thickener flow rate manually. The Moistscan gives plant technician’s real time automated control thereby eliminating the costly time delay between taking a sample, obtaining the results, and manually adjusting the thickener flow rate.

Case Study 2

Parabadoo Mine – Western Australia

Hammersley Iron’s Parabadoo Mine in the rich iron ore region of Western Australia includes mining, crushing and processing or iron ore to produce lump and fines ore. On average, the mine supplies 10 million tonnes per annum of blended product to the China Iron and Steel Industry.

A vital component of the mines product reconciliation plan, a Moist///scan MA-500HDi is installed on the product conveyor from the beneficiation plant leading to the plant stockpile. Moisture data from the MA500HDi is combined with tonnage readings from a weightometer to calculate the actual tonnes, exclusive of moisture, of plant iron ore.


Better information…better control


Prior to installation of the MA500HDi, iron ore production from the plant relied on error-prone periodic manual sampling and lab analysis to estimate moisture content. Consequently, calculation of actual plant production and key plant performance indicators could not be derived with confidence by Process Engineers. The MA500HDi overcomes the uncertainty, not to mention the considerable costs, associated with manual sampling. Continuous, on-line data from the Moist///scan® MA500HDi provides Plant Process Engineers with accurate real-time measurements of instantaneous and average moisture percentage. Combined with other plant data, the Moist///scan® MA500-HDi enables the calculation of product output and key beneficiation measures critical to understanding and improving efficiency and productivity.

Independently trialed and proven…

The Moist///scan is very reliable. An independent trial comparing the results of the MA-500HD with an ASA compliant sampling program determined that the MA500HDI is consistently accurate to 0.6 percent.

An Investment in product quality, plant performance & business productivity…

The Moist///scan® MA500 range can eliminate or substantially reduce:

Tonnage anomalies due to moisture that occur along the value chain, causing disputes between business units and depriving management of accurate key performance information.

Hold ups, clogging and fouling caused by material that is too wet or too dry requiring manual intervention and equipment downtime.

Unnecessary beneficiation running costs associated with over or under dosing or dispersing of moisture.

Beneficiation inefficiencies resulting from less-than-optimum plant operating decisions based on inadequate or incorrect moisture information.

Increased out-of-specification product and/or product rework caused by time delays between obtaining the results of manual sampling for moisture and taking corrective action.

Inefficiencies caused by shipping product with over-spec moisture thus increasing the transport costs per tonne of product delivered.

Payment penalties imposed on product with moisture content that is over-specification.

Foregone revenue resulting from selling product with moisture content that is under-specification.

Overheads associated with manual sampling.

Easy to Install…Easy to Operate...Maintenance Free

Manufactured using industrial grade components and assembled under strict quality control conditions Moist///scan® is virtually maintenance-free and very easy to operate. Dual display capability enables data from the Moist///scan® to be shown on the control cabinet as well as well in the control room.

On the ground service and support…

The Moist///scan® range of pmoisture sensors is supported by a global network of technicians’ each specializing in process control and instrumentation. Services include sales, technical support and on-site commissioning & instrument calibration.

For more information on other case studies, feel free to contact us