Baikov Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia):

Zelenova I. M., Researcher, irizeleno@yandex.ru

Morozov A. A., Leading Researcher, morozov@imet.ac.ru

Sadykhov G. B., Head of Laboratory, guseins@mail.ru

It is noted, that at present titanium-magnetite concentrates are conventionally used as vanadium raw material. However, owing to significant content of titanium (10–16 % TiO₂), it is expedient to subject them to combined treatment with preliminary separation of iron into metal product by means of reduction electro-smelting, simultaneously producing titanium slag with TiO₂  content of 30–60 %. Depending on feed concentrates' composition, slags of anosovite and spinel-anosovite types with TiO₂ content of 30–60 %, and man-made titanates being main titanium phases, may be formed in smelting. Removing impurities and separating titanates into separate products, it is possible to produce high-grade titanium concentrates, containing over 75 % of titanium dioxide, that may be competitive with high-titanium slags in titanium production. The results of studies on hydrometallurgical technology application for production of high-grade products from slags, formed in smelting of titanium-magnetite concentrates of the Khibinskoye (anosovite type of slag) and Gremyakha-Vyrmes (spinel-anosovite type of slag) deposits, are presented. Both slags were subjected to redox roasting, resulting in change of their phase composition with formation of man-made rutile and iron oxide Fe₂O₃. After roasting, in order to remove impurities, slags were leached by 18% hydrochloric acid with subsequent desiliconization through treatment with 20 % NaOH, resulting in production of rutilized products, containing 74–95 % titanium dioxide. The basic flow sheet for rutile product production is recommended, when realized, titanium-magnetite concentrates may be considered as source of titanium raw material.

1. Leontiev L. I., Reznichenko V. A., Morozov A. A., Sadykhov G. B., Furtat V. G. Tekhnologiya metallov — Technology of metals, 2003, No. 6, pp. 2–13.

2. Sadykhov G. B. Razrabotka nauchnykh osnov i tekhnologii kompleksnogo ispolzovaniya titanomagnetitov s vysokim soderzhaniem dioksida titana. Dis. … doktora tekhn. nauk (Working out of scientific bases and technology of complex use of titanomagnetites with high maintenance of titanium dioxide. Doctor’s dissertation). Baikov Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 2001.

3. Reznichenko V. A., Averin V. V., Olyunina T. V. Titanaty. Nauchnyye osnovy, tekhnologiya, proizvodsvo (Titanates. Scientific bases, technology, production), Moscow, Nauka, 2010, pp. 210–220.

4. Morozov A. A. Tsvetnye Metally — Non-Ferrous Metals, 2001, No. 1, pp. 92–95.

5. Sadykhov G. B., Reznichenko V. A., Karyazin I. A., Naumova L. O. Metally — Metals, 1998, No. 4, pp. 17–21.

6. Inventor’s certificate 1414782 USSR.