Production of synthetic rutile

In a process for upgrading the titania content of a titaniferous ore or concentrate containing combined iron comprising the steps of reducing the titaniferous ore or concentrate using a solid carbonaceous reductant to produce a reduced product comprising metallic iron, a major rutile phase and a separate minor impurity bearing titaniferous phase, subjecting the reduced product to a leaching or aeration to convert the metallic iron into a readily removable form, removing iron from the leached or aerated product, and subjecting the product from which iron has been removed to an acid treatment,

• the improvement comprising conducting said reducing step, with a degree of conversion of combined iron to metallic iron of at least 50%, so as to limit the formation of a difficultly leachable M.sub.3 O.sub.5 phase while promoting the formation of a more easily leachable titaniferous phase by conducting said reducing at a maximum temperature of 900.degree. to 1100.degree. C. for a time insufficient to complete conversion of impurity iron present in the ore or concentrate to metallic iron, said degree of conversion being less than about 95%;
• and
• utilizing said acid treatment as a leaching process to convert an impurity element other than iron in the minor impurity bearing titaniferous phase to a readily removable form and removing said impurity element therefrom.

In a process for upgrading the titania content of a titaniferous ore or concentrate containing combined iron comprising the steps of reducing the titaniferous ore or concentrate using a solid carbonaceous reductant to produce a reduced product comprising metallic iron, a major rutile phase and a separate minor impurity bearing titaniferous phase, subjecting the reduced product to a leaching or aeration to convert the metallic iron into a readily removable form, removing iron from the leached or aerated product, and subjecting the product from which iron has been removed to an acid treatment,

• the improvement comprising conducting said reducing step, with a degree of conversion of combined iron to metallic iron of at least 50%, at a maximum temperature of 900.degree. to 1200.degree. C. in the presence of an additive to promote limit the formation the formation of a leachable titaniferous phase;
• and
• utilizing said acid treatment as a leaching process to convert an impurity element other than iron in the minor impurity bearing titaniferous phase to a readily removable form and removing said impurity element therefrom.