Chlorination of reduced ilmenite concentrates and synthetic rutile

• Published in: International journal of mineral processing 2011-09, Vol.100 (3), p.166-171
• Main Authors: Adipuri, Andrew, Li, Yan, Zhang, Guangqing, Ostrovski, Oleg
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chlorination; Concentrates; Ilmenite; Iron; Oxycarbide; Oxycarbides; Oxycarbonitride; Rutile; Synthetic rutile; Titanium; Titanium dioxide; Titanium tetrachloride
• ISSN: 0301-7516; 1879-3525
• DOI: 10.1016/j.minpro.2011.07.005

Chlorination of reduced ilmenites of different grades (primary, secondary and HYTI 70) and synthetic rutile was investigated at 235 °C. The main phases of primary and secondary ilmenites were Fe 2Ti 3O 9 and FeTiO 3; HYTI 70 contained TiO 2; synthetic rutile consisted of titania with titanium suboxides and trace amount of iron. Iron oxides were reduced to metallic iron. Titanium oxides were reduced to titanium oxycarbide or oxycarbonitride; reduced samples contained a small amount of titanium suboxides. In chlorination of reduced ilmenite concentrates and synthetic rutile, titanium oxycarbide or oxycarbonitride, metallic iron, and Ti 2O 3 were chlorinated. The degree of chlorination of both iron and titanium oxycarbide/oxycarbonitride was 95–98%; chlorination of iron was faster than that of titanium oxycarbonitride. The removal of iron by leaching increased the chlorination rate of titanium oxycarbide/oxycarbonitride; it was close to completion in 35 min. ► Ilmenite concentrates were reduced to titanium oxycarbide or oxycarbonitride and metallic iron. ► Titanium oxycarbide and oxycarbonitride in reduced ilmenites were chlorinated at 235 °C. ► Iron was chlorinated at low temperature chlorination conditions. ► Iron was removed by leaching reduced ilmenites by aeration with NH 4Cl catalyst. ► After iron removal, chlorination of titanium oxycarbide and oxycarbonitride became faster.