Abstract

Reduction behaviour of different size fractions of a low grade ilmenite

Author(s): Farhana Begum, Fahmida Gulshan, A.S.W.Kurny

Sample of a low grade ilmenite (40 percent TiO2) was divided into different size fractions by sieving and the reduction behaviour of the different size fractions was investigated. Sieve analysis showed that more than 95% of the ilmenite sample under investigation belongs to U. S. Sieve Nos. 100, 140 and 200. Chemical analysis results showed that the finer fractions contained a lower percentage of TiO2 and a higher percentage of total iron. Finer fractions of the ilmenite sample were also observed to have a slightly higher sphericity. The three main size fractions of ilmenite were reduced with charcoal at 1050oC for 4 hours. Chemical analysis of the reduced samples revealed that finer fractions contain a lower amount of iron oxide although their pre-reduction iron oxides content was higher. The degree of reduction of iron oxides present in the ilmenite was found to be 79.36. 81.44 and 83.63%for the size fractions corresponding to U.S. sieve No. 100, 140 and 200 respectively. It was concluded that for the optimization of reduction parameters of ilmenite, a separate reduction procedure for each of the different size fractions is not necessary.