Extraction behaviours of titanium and other impurities in the decomposition process of ilmenite by highly concentrated KOH solution

Abstract

To effectively utilize ilmenite and recycle KOH solution, the extraction behaviours of titanium and other associated impurities in the decomposition process of ilmenite by highly concentrated KOH solution were studied. Experiments on the extraction behaviours of titanium as well as other associated impurities of ilmenite such as iron, silicon, calcium, and aluminium were carried out. The effects of various parameters, including reaction temperature, KOH concentration, reaction time, alkali-to-ore mass ratio, and particle size on the extraction rate of titanium and other impurities were examined. When the finely ground ore (58–75 μm) reacted with KOH solution (80wt%) in an alkali-to-ore mass ratio of 7:1 at 260°C for 60 min, almost complete extraction of titanium was achieved, while the extraction rate of aluminium was 78% and that of other impurities was less than 22%. Moreover, high purity (98.2wt%) TiO2 with the anatase structure could be gained in the purification process.