National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:

E. V. Bogatyreva, Assistant Professor, e-mail: Helen_Bogatureva@mail.ru
A. G. Ermilov, Senior Researcher

JSC “Solikamsk magnesium plant”, Solikamsk, Russia:

A. V. Chub, Deputy Head of Experimental Shop

Synthetic rutile is an important intermediate in manufacturing of titanium dioxide, sponge titanium and other areas of chemical industry. There were analyzed the ways of obtaining of synthetic rutile, implemented on industrial scale (Sorel-, Becher-, Benilite-processes, ERMS SR). For many years, synthetic rutile has been manufactured by Becher process, which involves the reduction of iron component to metallic form and its subsequent removal as a type of rust in air-sparged agitated vessels. However, this process is carried out with ores, which are high in titanium and low in iron oxides. Benilite process utilizes selective leaching with hydrochloric acid as the means of unwanted iron removing. Austpac Resource N.L. anticipates a need for more modern and more cost affective hydrochloric acid leach system. However, a negative aspect in the Austpac ERMS SR process is the amount of produced carbon dioxide. There is shown the possibility of excluding of energy-intensive stage of preliminary heat treatment of titanium-containing concentrates through the targeted application of preliminary mechanical activation. Selective iron extraction into solution by hydrochloriс acid leaching of arizonite and ilmenite concentrates was obtained. MA conditions may be optimized by evaluation of reactivity of mechanical activated arizonite and ilmenite concentrates from XRD date. There are given the characteristics of synthetic rutile, obtained by hydrochloric acid leaching of preliminary mechanical activated ilmenite and arizonite concentrates. There are shown the advantages of the developed method, compared and implemented in industry. Effective hydrochloriс acid decomposition of concentrates after preliminary mechanical activation reduces energy consumption by not less than 15% in the process of artificial rutile production, in comparison with titaniferous slag melting.

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