Comprehensive processing of AN iron concentrate OF titanomagnetite ore by A selective separation and concentration of iron, vanadium and titanium by chemical methods
Now, complex titanomagnetite ores are one of leading industrial sources of iron and a main type of mineral raw materials used to produce titanium, vanadium and other valuable components. The ores of the Volkovsky deposit are unique in their composition and genetic features. The only similar foreign deposit (Angeles, USA) is not processed. Profitable processing of these ores is possible only if applying a comprehensive approach. The Krasnouralsk concentrating plant of JSC Svyatogor produces an iron concentrate containing valuable components in an amount sufficient for their extraction from titanomagnetite ore of the Volkovsky deposit. The comprehensive processing of the iron concentrate provides for the production of not only iron, but also vanadium and titanium, which are predominantly present in the concentrate, by chemical methods. Thus, the research was aimed at studying potential comprehensive processing of the iron concentrate of titanomagnetite ore. The paper describes a selective separation and concentration of valuable components of the iron concentrate produced during enrichment of titanomagnetite ore from the Volkovsky deposit. It is proposed to use chemical methods of enrichment in view of the peculiarity of the chemical and mineralogical composition of the iron concentrate and the particle size, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence analyses. The studies revealed that it was possible to selectively separate vanadium from iron and titanium by hydrochloric acid leaching of the iron concentrate, releasing into the solution, and concentrate titanium in the cake. The paper demonstrates that it is not feasible to use sulfuric acid solutions for the selective separation of iron, vanadium and titanium due to titanium losses in the solution.