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The low-grade iron ore fines are studied at laboratory batch and pilot scale with a view to developing a process route for pellet-grade concentrate with at least 65% Fe and no more than 1.8% each of alumina and silica. The sample assayed 60.1% Fe with 3.47% SiO2 and 4.48% Al2O3, the ore being composed of haematite with minor maghemite, plus medium- grained quartz and fine to submicroscopic ferruginous clay. The resulting process route comprised forming a slurry in a sump pump followed by grinding in closed circuit with a 48 mesh screen. The fraction passing 48 mesh was cycloned to remove slimes; the underflow was subjected to Floatex Density Separation (a hindered-bed classifier process) with its underflow collected as concentrate. The Floatex density overflow was subjected to wet high-intensity magnetic separation (WHIMS). The surface area of the final concentrate, measured as the Blain number, indicated that further grinding was needed prior to pelletisation. The pilot-plant test gave a product grading 65.10% Fe, 1.48% SiO2 and 1.85% Al2O3 with Fe recovery of 58.63%., The low-grade iron ore fines are studied at laboratory batch and pilot scale with a view to developing a process route for pellet-grade concentrate with at least 65% Fe and no more than 1.8% each of alumina and silica. The sample assayed 60.1% Fe with 3.47% SiO2 and 4.48% Al2O3, the ore being composed of haematite with minor maghemite, plus medium- grained quartz and fine to submicroscopic ferruginous clay. The resulting process route comprised forming a slurry in a sump pump followed by grinding in closed circuit with a 48 mesh screen. The fraction passing 48 mesh was cycloned to remove slimes; the underflow was subjected to Floatex Density Separation (a hindered-bed classifier process) with its underflow collected as concentrate. The Floatex density overflow was subjected to wet high-intensity magnetic separation (WHIMS). The surface area of the final concentrate, measured as the Blain number, indicated that further grinding was needed prior to pelletisation. The pilot-plant test gave a product grading 65.10% Fe, 1.48% SiO2 and 1.85% Al2O3 with Fe recovery of 58.63%.