The use of ethylenediammonium chloride as an aeration catalyst in the removal of metallic iron from reduced ilmenite

Abstract

Laboratory scale experiments were conducted on the removal of metallic iron from reduced ilmenite. A mechanically stirred aeration vessel was used to determine the iron leaching ability of aerated water in the presence of ethylene diammonium chloride catalyst. The efficiency of the aeration catalyst, ethylene diammonium chloride, was then compared to the standard ammonium chloride catalyst used in industry to remove metallic iron from a reduced ilmenite matrix. Through the use of ethylenediammonium chloride as a catalyst it was found that the same rate of iron removal could be achieved as with ammonium chloride while the molar concentration of ethylene diammonium chloride was only 75% of that of ammonium chloride. It was also found that the ethylenediammonium chloride catalyst produced a slightly faster leaching rate at a temperature of 80 to 90°C. Finally, through increasing the oxygen partial pressure of the gas flow to 100%, at the same total gas flow rates both the ammonium chloride and ethylenediammonium chloride slurries were leached at much faster rates.