A technique with coal-based direct reduction followed by magnetic separation is presented in this study for recovering and reusing iron otherwise wasted in vanadium tailings. Process parameters such as usage of additives, tailings/reductant/additives ratio, reduction temperature and time, as well as particle size were experimentally determined. The optimum process parameters were proposed as follows: using lime as the additive, lignite as the reductant, weight ratios of vanadium tailings/lignite/lime at 100:30:10, reduction roasting at 1200 degrees C for 60 min, and particle size of 98% less than 30 mu m in the final roasted product feeding to magnetic separation. Under these conditions, a magnetic concentrate containing 90.31% total iron and 89.76% metallization iron with a total iron recovery rate of 83.88% was obtained. In addition, mineralography of vanadium tailings, coal-based reduction product and magnetic concentrate were studied by X-ray powder diffraction technique (XRD). The microstructures of above products were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) to help understand the mechanism. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.