Recycling of components contained in a residue obtained from the chloride process

A method for treating a residue obtained from the chloride process to obtain titanium dioxide, the method comprising:

• a) providing an aqueous suspension of the residue, wherein:
• the residue comprises titanium dioxide, coke, an inert metal oxide, and an iron containing component selected from the group consisting of iron (II) oxide, iron (III) oxide, iron (II) hydroxide, iron (III) hydroxide, iron (III) oxide hydroxide, and mixtures thereof;
• the iron-containing component is adhered to the surface of at least some of the titanium dioxide, coke, and/or the inert metal oxide in the form of shells thereby forming agglomerates;
• and
• the agglomerates remain present in the aqueous suspension;
• b) adjusting the pH of the aqueous suspension provided in step a) to a pH value of from about 3 to about 4;
• c) subjecting the aqueous suspension obtained in step b) to a step of deagglomerating the agglomerates of the residue to remove the iron-containing component from the surface of the titanium dioxide, coke, and/or the inert metal oxide and obtain the individual components of the residue,
• d) optionally, separating the coke from the aqueous suspension obtained in step c),
• e) separating the titanium dioxide from the aqueous suspension obtained in step c) or d), and
• f) optionally separating the iron-containing component from the aqueous suspension obtained in step c), d) or e).