Processing of ilmenite (FeOTiO2) for value added products

Beach Placer Ilmenite is an important source for production of titanium metal, titania slag and pigment
grade titanium dioxide. Besides, these well known applications for which Ilmenite is mined and
processed, there are other emerging processes that are being tried for obtaining highvalue products.
Synthesis of Ilmenite based materials for varistor applications and direct electrochemical reduction of
Ilmenite to produce ferrotitanium are two such attempts being discussed in this work.
In this paper, recent efforts undertaken to study the electrical and magnetic characteristics are
discussed. Ilmenite, FeTiO 3 , is one of the mixed-valence transition metalbearing minerals, inwhich Fe
can be in two different oxidation states, Fe
2+
and Fe
3+
.. Similarly, Ti can be in Ti
3+
and Ti
4+
.Ilmenite is
inherently suitable for making Varistors, which are devices, used for limiting the transient voltage
surges in a circuit. Varistors produced from Ilmenite can withstand harsh environments seen in nuclear
reactors and outerspace. Electrochemical reduction of Ilmenite can be used to prepare ferrotitanium
directly without any reductant. The process essentially involves removal of oxygen from the mineral
through electrolytic action using calcium chloride as electrolyte and graphite as anode. At a
temperature of 950°C, it is shown to be possible that all the oxygen can be removed from the Ilmenite
sample, which passes through the electrolyte, to form CO/CO 2 at the anode. The process has
immense potential for cost effective production of titanium metal as well. Results of the above
developmental works are presented in this paper.