The invention provides a method of agglomeration (10) which has the steps of mixing a feedstock (12) of small particles which have an average particle size of 3 mm or less with a binder (14) which is in the form of a polyvinyl alcohol in the form of an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution in a first blender (16) to form a binder mixture (18), reacting a gelling agent (20) with the feedstock and the binder and processing the binder mixture to deliver an agglomerate (22).