A new method to recover iron from high iron-bearing zinc calcine was developed. Zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) in zinc calcine was decomposed to zinc oxide and magnetite after roasting under a reducing atmosphere at temperatures over 700 degrees C. A mineral dressing by magnetic separation was used to recover magnetite from the roasted products. The effects of the roasting temperature and magnetic induction intensity on the grade and recovery of iron were investigated. Ultrasonic treatment and mechanical milling played an important part in breaking the encapsulated magnetic phases before magnetic separation. The results show that iron recovery increases with roasting temperature and magnetic induction intensity, and ultrasonic treatment and mechanical milling promote the recovery of iron by 20% compared to the roasted zinc calcine subjected to magnetic separation at the same magnitude. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.