Recovery of chlorine values from iron chloride by-product in chlorination of aluminous materials

A method of recovering the chlorine value from iron chloride obtained from the chlorination of an aluminous material containing iron oxide which comprises the steps of:

• (a) partially dechlorinating the ferric chloride from oxidation step (b) plus any ferric chloride in the iron chloride separated from the aluminous material, in the presence of a reducing agent to form products comprising ferrous chloride and a chloride compound derived from the reducing agent whose chlorine value is, either directly or after processing, suitable for recycle to the aluminous chlorination stage, and passing the ferrous chloride on to step (b);
• and
• (b) oxidizing the ferrous chloride produced in the dechlorinating stage (a) plus any ferrous chloride in the iron chloride separated from the aluminous material, in the presence of an oxidizing agent selected from the group consisting of oxygen and oxygen-containing gases and at a temperature of between about 300.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. to form products comprising ferric chloride and ferric oxide, passing the ferric chloride on to the dechlorination step (a) and removing the ferric oxide from the system:
• whereby the chloride value of the iron chloride separated from the aluminous material is recovered as the chloride of the reducing agent, a material which directly or indirectly is suitable for recycle to the aluminous chlorination stage.