HYDROCHEMICAL BENEFICIATION OF OFF-GRADE TITANIUM SLAG

References: 16th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2016, www.sgem.org, SGEM2016 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7105-56-8 / ISSN 1314-2704, June 28 - July 6, 2016, Book1 Vol. 2, 1105-1112 pp

ABSTRACT
Integrated utilization of natural resources using energy-saving and waste-free technologies is relevant around the world. This applies to such type of raw material as titanium-magnetite ore. Shortage of ilmenite raw materials in the Republic of Kazakhstan for titanium slag melting challenges the search of alternative titanium-containing raw materials, titanomagnetites in particular. At the same time there are deposits of indigenous titanomagnetite ores (Velikovskoe, Tymlay, Masalskoe, etc.) of huge reserves, which can become the complex raw material for production of iron, titanium and vanadium. Tymlay field in the South-Eastern part of Chu-Ili watershed is of particular interest, within the Karasay ore unit with iron content of 30,4 and titanium dioxide - 10%, and after beneficiation titano-magnetite concentrate contains Fe-52,4; TiO2-of 16,06%.
Technology of titanium-magnetite concentrate ore-thermal melting was developed at Tymlay deposit producing hot metal and low titanium slag that can become the raw material for titanium production using chloride method. Slag produced in course of titanomagnetite ore-smelting consists mainly of alumosilicates and sodium silico titanates, magnesium and calcium titanates, titanium dioxide and lower titanium oxides.
In this regard, chemical beneficiation is the main task of researchers handling the problem of low titanium slag processing. Following operations were carried out to improve titanium slag quality: slag sintering with sodium hydroxide; cake leaching with water to remove water-soluble impurities; to reduce the number of operations impurities leaching with hydrochloric acid was combined with pyrohydrolysis of titanic acid; rutile concentrate production (85% TiO2, 7,66% SiO2), silica removal by means of sodium hydroxide solution treatment, finally sellable rutile concentrate was produced with titanium dioxide 91-92% and silica 1,7 to 2,0% content.

Keywords: titanomagnetite, titanium slag, сhemical beneficiation, titanium dioxide, rutile