Solid-phase prereduction of iron-vanadium concentrates and liquid-phase separation of the products of their reduction

Abstract

The transformations that occur in ore grains during solid-phase carbon reduction of the metals from the iron-vanadium concentrates formed upon the beneficiation of the titanomagnetite ores from Southern Ural deposits are studied. Upon heating to 1000°C, the solid solution in titanomagnetite grains decomposes with the formation of magnetite and ilmenite; the reduction of iron begins in the temperature range 1080–1110°C, and the reduction of titanium begins at above 1215°C. The reaction mixture should be held at 1250°C for 45 min to ensure almost complete iron reduction and the minimum degree of titanium reduction. For rapid separation melting, this procedure results in vanadium-containing cast iron (0.43–0.5% V) with <0.15% Ti and a slag with 42–43% titanium oxides.