Studies on the Chlorination of Vanadium bearing Titaniferous Magnetites

Vast reserves of vanadium bearing titaniferous magnetite containing 58-65% iron, 8-12% titanium and 0.6 to 1.4% vanadium occur in Orrisa and Bihar. The paper outlines possible methods for the recovery of vanadium by reduction, roasting and chlorination by hydrochloric acid gas and records the results of the chlorination of ore containing 9% vanadium. The effects of temperature, particle size of the ore, rate of flow of HCl gas and its partial pressure on the chloridising reactions have been investigated. It has been observed that 80% of the vanadium is volatilised at about 200°c. Part of iron is also chlorinated along with vanadium. Possible methods for the production of pure vanadium pentoxide from the distillate have been outlined.