by Ilmenite: An Important Industrial Mineral
It is a titanium-iron oxide mineral with the idealized formula FeTiO3. It is a weakly magnetic black or steel-gray solid. From the commercial perspective, it is the most important ore of titanium. Its crystals are hexagonal-scalenohedral, but usually massive to poorly formed. It is the main source of titanium dioxide which is widely used as a pigment in paint, as well as in paper, plastics, cloth, rubber and other applications.
Occurrence and Production of Ilmenite
It is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks as well as in some sedimentary rocks formed by mechanical or chemical weathering of pre-existing mineral -rich rocks. It occurs in a wide range of igneous rocks like gabbro, basalt, anorthosite and norite. Some of the major producers are South Africa, Australia, Canada, India, Ukraine and Norway. South Africa produces about 13-14% of the world’s mineral and is one of the largest exporters of mineral concentrates. In 2019, global mineral production was approximately 5.4 million metric tonnes with China, India and Norway being the other major producing countries.
Processing of Ilmenite Ore
The mined mineral ore needs intensive processing to extract and upgrade its titanium and iron content. The main steps involved are crushing, wet grinding, magnetic separation and upgrading. In the crushing step, large mineral pieces are reduced to smaller granular sizes suitable for wet grinding. The ground ore is then subjected to low intensity magnetic separation processes like magnetic drums or spirals to remove easily magnetic iron-rich tails. This partial upgrading results in an intermediate 48-52% TiO2 product called synthetic rutile. Further processing by means of high intensity magnetic separation or electrostatic separation can yield high grade 65-70% TiO2 products termed as natural rutile.
Applications of Ilmenite
As mentioned earlier, the most important end uses of it is in the production of titanium dioxide pigment. TiO2 pigment accounts for over 95% of the titanium-containing products produced worldwide. Some other applications areas of ilmenite are:
– Titanium metal production: After chlorination and purification, natural rutile or synthetic rutile from it is used in the manufacture of titanium sponge which is further melted to form titanium metal ingots. Titanium metal enjoys widespread application in aerospace, chemical plant industries because of its high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance.
– Welding fluxes: It is used as a component in some welding fluxes due to its iron oxide content. The iron oxides act as carrier gases to facilitate flow of molten flux during welding.
– Glass production: Small amounts of iron oxide colourants derived from ilmenite are used in the production of special glass like dark glass bottles.
– Ceramics: Titanium dioxide from it is used as a whitening agent in the manufacture of ceramics, pottery, tiles and sanitary-ware products.
– Water treatment: Its use in drinking water purification is also rising by adding iron salts formed as byproducts in its processing. These iron salts act as coagulants and flocculants during water treatment.
Outlook for Ilmenite Industry
The outlook for industry appears positive backed by continuing strong demand from the titanium pigment sector. Also, new technologies are making low grade deposits commercially viable which is opening up newer supply sources. Countries are boosting exploration to secure resources. For example, India has initiated deep seabed mining projects in Peninsular India and Lakshadweep islands. While China dominates global titanium sponge production, other nations especially in Southeast Asia too are ramping up their capacities. On the other hand, environmental regulations around mineral sands mining pose a constraint. Overall, with economic growth worldwide and increasing use of titanium in strategic applications, ilmenite will retain its importance as chief titanium-bearing mineral over the long run.
*Note:
1.Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2.We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
