An investigation of the ignition behaviour of iron sulphide dusts has been undertaken. Commercial samples of FeS and FeS2 and mine samples of pyrrhotite and pyrite were tested for minimum ignition temperature (MIT) using a device known as the BAM oven. The mine samples were found to undergo a decrease in MIT as the mass mean particle diameter became smaller. Using available theoretical treatments, this experimental observation was interpreted as providing further evidence of the importance of heterogeneous combustion in the ignition of iron sulphide dusts. A dense cloud state was proven for the experimental apparatus used, and an alternate criterion for the boundary between a dilute and a dense dust cloud was proposed in terms of the number of dust particles present in the cloud. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.