SYNTHESIS OF TIO2 BY AN INNOVATIVE ATMOSPHERIC MIXED-CHLORIDE LEACH PROCESS

TiO2 is used in paints, plastics, rubber, paper, inks, textiles and other miscellaneous applications. The demand for the pigment grade TiO2 is growing at 3.0%/year on average and this invites the development of innovative and cost effective processes. The current processes are not designed to recycle the reagents and thereby discharge the effluents into the environment, causing an environmental concern. During this study, synthesis of TiO2 from an ilmenite concentrate was investigated using an innovative atmospheric mixed-chloride leach process. The solution purification was carried out using solvent extraction in two stages. In the first stage iron removal was carried out and in the second stage titanium was extracted. The strip solution obtained from the second stage solvent extraction contained the purified titanium and from this stream pigment grade TiO2 was recovered. The barren solution was used for reagent recovery and the regenerated leach liquor was recycled.