It is possible to forecast variation in energy content and reactivity of arizonite and ilmenite concentrates after their mechanical activation using data of X-ray crystal analysis. It is found that energy of arizonite and ilmenite after mechanical activation differs from energy of structural damages within the minerals. Effect of the energy, accumulated in the course of mechanical activation in the form of the surface energy and micro-strains, on the subsequent leaching process has been proved. The efficient preliminary mechanical activation of arizonite and ilmenite makes the background for manufacturing of artificial rutile from available mineral raw material.The main source of titanium and dioxide titanium production is ilmenite and rutile ore. The highest titanium content is in rutile (91% TiO 2 ). The world reserves of titanium to more than 82% concentrate in ilmenite (42-62% TiO 2 ). Ilmenite serves to produce titanium slag (70-85% TiO 2 ) and synthetic rutile (95-98% TiO 2 ). These titanium preproducts with high TiO 2 content are most preferable for production of metals, titanium dioxide pigment and other marketable products [1].All synthetic rutile manufacture methods complicate processing of ilmenite concentrates and increase its cost [2, 3], therefore, in Russia, processing of ilmenite concentrates only includes melting [2].It is possible to decrease energy content of artificial rutile production from ilmenite concentrates with selective extraction of titanium-accompanying admixtures (iron and others) at minimum loss of titanium and to reuse reagents by inclusion of preliminary mechanical activation (MA) aimed at intensification of further hydrochloride acid decomposition of titanium-containing concentrates.Currently there is no clear idea on how and in which form energy is accumulated after preliminary MA. Some researchers associated the preliminary MA effect (intensification of response rate) with damages and dislocations; other-with enlargement of specific area on activated minerals [4]. However, the fact that annealing of activated minerals is accompanied by the decrease in their chemical activity (sometimes below the chemical activity of initial nonactivated minerals [5]) at the unchanged size of the mineral particles testify favorably the higher effect of structural changes on the properties of the activated minerals. Nevertheless, up to date, the main evaluation criteria for MA effectiveness are the mechanical treatment duration and the specific area size.The expediency of presenting the activated mineral condition in terms of energy is stipulated by the following reasons [6]:
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