Studying of possibility for breakdown of ilmenite concentrate with ammonium sulphate

The data on investigation of the possibility of breakdown of ilmenite concentrate of the Ariadnensky deposit in Primorsky Krai with ammonium sulfate are presented in the article. For study the ilmenite concentrate and ammonium sulfate interaction, the concentrate and (NH4)2SO4 were mixed based on the formation of sulfates of the main components of the concentrate and then double sulfates of the components of the concentrate and ammonium. The interaction was carried out in glassy carbon crucibles, which were placed in a muffle furnace controller company Nabertherm GmbH (Germany). The weight of sample was 10–40 g. Thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction and atomic absorption analyses were used in the study. It was found that when the temperature of thermal decomposition of (NH4)2SO4 (3000С) is reached, the interaction of the main components of the concentrate with (NH4)2SO4 begins and proceeds in the temperature range of 300-3600С with the formation of a mixture of double salts well soluble in water - ammonium sulfate and iron compounds (NH4)2Fe2(SO4)3 and NH4Fe(SO4)2 and ammonium sulfate and titanyl of the composition (NH4)2TiO(SO4)2. The interaction at a temperature above 3600С leads to thermal decomposition of the formed double sulfates of ammonium and titanyl and ammonium and iron to sulfates and then oxides. It was shown that water leaching of the product of the interaction of ilmenite concentrate with (NH4)2SO4 at 3600С allows to extract practically all titanium and the bulk of iron to water in the form of well soluble double salts. The conditions for the titanium dioxide separation in the form of anatase from the water leaching solution were found.