Process for chlorinating clays and bauxite

Abstract

A process for recovering aluminum from clays associated with coal or bauxite containing iron, siliceous material and titanium which comprises: (a) chlorinating the clay or bauxite in an oxidizing atmosphere to selectively chlorinate and vaporize iron chloride from the remaining chlorides, (b) chlorinating the residue from step (a) in a reducing atmosphere or carbon monoxide and vaporizing the chlorides of aluminum, silicon, titanium, and the residual iron, (c) separating and recovering the formed vaporized chlorides by selective condensation. Silicon tetrachloride may be added to step (b) to suppress the chlorination of silicon. If the clay contains alkali or alkaline earth metals, then the residue of step (b) is treated with sulfuric acid to convert the soluble chlorides, e.g., gypsum, to sulfates and to regenerate a chloridizing and binder solution for pelletizing the clay or bauxite.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.