GB710065A - Improvements in or relating to a method for producing titanium concentrates - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of producing a digestible titanium concentrate comprises forming a mixture of a titaniferous iron ore containing 8-65 per cent. of titanium oxide, an oxidic compound of silicon, an oxidic compound of aluminium, an oxidic compound of sodium and a carbonaceous reducing agent such as powdered carbon, coke or coal, heating the mixture at a temperature of 1300-1700 DEG C. preferably 1300-1500 DEG C. to form a slag and molten iron until the ferrous oxide content of the slag is reduced to between 2-20 per cent., the molten iron and the slag forming separate layers which may be separated, the amount of oxidic compounds of silicon aluminium and sodium present in the original mixture being sufficient to form a slag on which the sum of silica, alumina and sodium oxide is from 0.75-2.2 parts for each part of titanium oxide and in which the silica comprises from 40-55 per cent., the alumina 20-35 per cent. and the sodium oxide 20-30 per cent. of the total silica+alumina+sodium oxide present in the slag, leaching the slag with dilute sulphuric acid to remove the silicon, aluminium and sodium acid soluble compounds and also substantial amounts of the iron, calcium and magnesium constituents and then separating the leach liquor from the leached titanium slag. The greatest solubilisation of the gangue constituents is experienced when the silica is from 45-50 per cent., the alumina from 24-30 per cent. and the sodium oxide from 22-28 per cent. of the total silica+alumina+sodium oxide present in the slag, corresponding to a molecular composition 1.5Na2O.1A12O33SiO3. Ores which may be utilised in the process are magnetite ilmenite, haemetite ilmenite and ilmenite The leaded slag is readily soluble in strong sulphuric acid and the titanium values can be recovered as titanium sulphate.