Abstract
The kinetics of the leaching of titanium and iron from Sri Lankan ilmenite in a sulphuric acid medium heated by microwave energy is studied. The effects of the concentration of sulphuric acid, reaction temperature and particle size on the kinetics of dissolution of ilmenite are investigated. Results show that both the acid concentration and the temperature have significant effects on the rate of dissolutions of titanium and iron from ilmenite. The dissolution of both titanium and iron from ilmenite was controlled by a chemical reaction on the surface of ilmenite particles. Maximum extractions of 74.2 (±1.1) % of titanium and 71.3 (±0.8) % of iron from the ilmenite ore were achieved using a microwave leaching system of 600 W, 2.45 GHz. Experimental results further showed that the apparent activation energies for the dissolution of titanium and iron were 137 kJ mol-1 and 117.1 kJ mol-1 respectively. Therefore, microwave energy has a potential for the speedy and efficient leaching of ilmenite and in a commercial context it can be used as a more economical and environmental friendly process. The results of the mineralogical and chemical analysis studies for the ilmenite ore indicated that both ilmenite (FeTiO3) and pseudorutile (Fe2Ti3O9) minerals were present with a grade of 37.9% titanium. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 9 (2014): 01-14
Highlights
Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is the most abundant principal titanium bearing mineral which is used as the main feedstock for the production of titanium metal and titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment (Zhang and Nicol, 2010)
Experimental results showed that the high dissolution rates of both titanium and iron from ilmenite in sulphuric acid were achieved using a microwave leaching system
The kinetics study showed that the dissolution of both titanium and iron from ilmenite was controlled by a chemical reaction process on the surface of particles
Summary
Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is the most abundant principal titanium bearing mineral which is used as the main feedstock for the production of titanium metal and titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment (Zhang and Nicol, 2010). More than 90% of the titanium ore is processed into TiO2 pigment globally (Jayawardena, 1998). Sri Lanka has vast deposits of ilmenite. The major deposits are on the north-east coast at Pulmoddai in Sri Lanka, which have been exploited economically by Lanka Mineral Sands Ltd since 1958 (Meyer, 1983; Jayawardena, 1998). Sri Lanka does not produce any type of value added TiO2 pigments. There are two main methods of manufacturing TiO2 pigment, the traditional Sulphate process and the more modern Chloride process (Carp et al, 2004). In the Sulphate process, ilmenite (with 45-65% TiO2) is dissolved in 85% (w/w) sulphuric acid at 160 C to form titanyl sulphate (TiOSO4) and ferrous sulphate (FeSO4) as shown in Eq (1)
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