Extraction of titanium from ilmenite

Ilmenite is a mineral composed mainly of iron and titanium dioxide. It is the primary ore of titanium, which is a widely used metal in various applications such as aerospace, medical implants, and sports equipment. Extracting titanium from ilmenite involves a complex process that typically involves several stages, including beneficiation, reduction, and purification.

Beneficiation: The first stage in the extraction of titanium from ilmenite involves the beneficiation of the ore. This is typically done using a combination of gravity and magnetic separation techniques. In this process, the crushed and ground ilmenite ore is passed through a series of separators that separate the heavy minerals such as ilmenite and magnetite from the lighter minerals such as quartz and feldspar. The heavy minerals are then further processed to remove impurities and upgrade the titanium dioxide content.

Reduction: Once the ilmenite has been upgraded, the next stage is reduction. This involves the use of a reducing agent such as carbon to convert the titanium dioxide to titanium metal. In this process, the upgraded ilmenite is mixed with carbon and heated in a furnace at high temperatures. The carbon reduces the titanium dioxide to titanium metal, while the iron oxide is reduced to iron metal. The resulting product is a mixture of titanium and iron metals known as sponge.

Purification: The final stage in the extraction of titanium from ilmenite involves purification. This is typically done using a variety of techniques such as distillation, chemical vapor deposition, and electrolysis. In distillation, the sponge is melted and vaporized, and the titanium metal is then condensed and collected. In chemical vapor deposition, the sponge is heated in a vacuum chamber and a gas containing a titanium compound is introduced. The titanium compound reacts with the sponge to form a pure titanium layer. In electrolysis, the sponge is dissolved in a molten salt, and an electric current is passed through the solution to separate the titanium from the other metals.

In summary, the extraction of titanium from ilmenite involves a complex process that typically involves several stages, including beneficiation, reduction, and purification. The process requires the use of a reducing agent such as carbon and involves high temperatures and pressures, making it energy-intensive and costly. However, the importance of titanium in various industries such as aerospace, medical implants, and sports equipment makes it an essential metal that is worth the investment.