Process for the beneficiation of titaniferous ores
AssigneeThe University of Melbourne
InventorRobert Joseph William McLaughlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to the beneficiation of both natural and artificial titaniferous ores, specifically ilmenites by adding to the ores a fluoride, preferably a normally insoluble fluoride in an amount such that the percentage of fluorine ion relative to the titania values lies between 13% and 50%, adding to the mixture hydrochloric acid, the fluorine ions acting as an activating agent. After dissolution, the titanium is precipitated out, as a mixture of titanium dioxide, titanium oxy hydroxy fluoride and titanium oxy fluoride, the iron values largely remaining in solution.
Claims19
A process for the beneficiation of titaniferous ores including mixing the ore with an insoluble source of fluoride ions which source becomes soluble under the following conditions of the process, the fluoride concentration relative to the titania values in the ore lying between 13% and 50% by weight and heating the mixture with dilute hydrochloric acid at a temperature not more than atmospheric boiling point to thereby dissolve a substantial part of the titanium and iron values of the ore.
A continuous process for the beneficiation of titaniferous ores as herein defined, including feeding ore and an insoluble fluoride to a rotary digester, the concentration of fluoride ions relating to the titania values in the ore lying between 13% and 50% by weight feeding hydrochloric acid having a concentration of between 20% and 25% (W/V) to the digester, heating the mixture and delivering from the digester, a liquid containing a large percentage of the titanium and iron values from the ore and solid materials which include unreacted ore, undissolved fluoride and inclusions from the core, treating and the liquid to precipitate the titanium values therefrom.
A batch process for the beneficiation of titaniferous ores including adding to the ores, an insoluble fluoride which source becomes soluble under the following conditions of the process, at a fluoride ion concentration relating to the titania values lying between 13% and 50% by weight, adding hydrochloric acid having a concentration of between 20% and 25% by weight to a digester, heating the mixture, removing from the digester, a liquid containing a large percentage of the titanium and iron values from the ore and solid materials which include unreacted ore, fluoride and inclusions from the ore, and treating the liquid to selectively precipitate the titanium values therefrom.
A process for the beneficiation of titaniferous ores consisting essentially of mixing the ore with an insoluble source of fluoride ions which source becomes soluble under the following conditions of the process, the concentration of said source of fluoride relative to the titania values in the ore lying between 13% and 50% by weight and heating the mixture with dilute hydrochloric acid at a temperature not more than the atmospheric boiling point to thereby dissolve a substantial part of the titanium and iron values of the ore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.