The effect of magnesia and alumina crucible wear on the smelting characteristics of titaniferous magnetite

Abstract

Titaniferous magnetite (titanomagnetite) deposits are found in many countries throughout the world, including Russia, China, and South Africa. In South Africa, the titanomagnetite deposits are found in the Bushveld Complex. The titanomagnetite deposits typically contain appreciable reserves of iron and vanadium with concentrations in the range of 38-58% Fe and 1.2-2.2% V 2 O 5 , as well as significant titanium concentrations of 12-21% TiO 2 (Gwatinetsa, 2013). Titanomagnetite is typically processed by smelting in the presence of a carbonaceous reductant and flux to produce a valuable vanadium-bearing pig iron and a slag containing significant concentrations of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 , titania). The titanomagnetite slag is generally discarded on waste dumps. The metal is processed further to produce vanadium and steel products (Steinberg et al., 2011). The global depression in the market and prices of metals, and increased operational expenses as a consequence of excessive electrical energy costs in some countries, including South Africa, have prompted the established titanomagnetite smelters to intensify their process technologies or close down. Furthermore, prospective smelters apply caution through comprehensive process feasibility studies before committing to an operational technology. In such cases, laboratory-scale test work is generally adopted as a cost-effective approach for testing a wide range of parameters under controlled conditions (Geldenhuys and Jones, 2011).Mintek gained expertise and experience in titanomagnetite smelting processes as early as in the 1960s (Jochens et al., 1969) and thereafter continued with innovative work on the subject (Boyd et al., 1993). Substantial titanomagnetite processing work is included in numerous reports on collaborative projects conducted by Mintek and its clients over more than 45 years.The intensification of, and likely innovation in, titanomagnetite smelting processes typically involves laboratory crucible tests to maximize vanadium and iron recoveries to metal and the deportment of titania to the slag phase. Laboratory test parameters controlled for the optimization of the extraction of vanadium, iron, and potentially titanium from titanomagnetiteThe effect of magnesia and alumina crucible wear on the smelting characteristics of titaniferous magnetite by M.P. Maphutha*, M. Ramaili*, M.B. Sitefane*, and X.C. Goso*

New Laboratory and Pilot Techniques Applied at Mintek in Aid of Furnace Containment System Designs

“…18 Heat transfer and thermodynamic calculations are useful on desktop study level when alternatives are considered, but validation of the results by experimental work on laboratory-or pilot-scale is important 19 lest the industrial-scale furnace becomes the pilot furnace. Laboratory-scale investigations are more suitable to studies requiring very controlled conditions 20,21 to validate the results of thermodynamic calculations. Pilot-scale investigations can better mimic industrial conditions but are expensive.…”

Beneficiation of fluxed titaniferous slag to a marketable titania product using the modified upgraded slag process

“…Reductant addition was calculated using Equations [1] and [2]. Based on previous testwork (Maphutha et al 2017), the stoichiometric reductant addition in the smelting mixture was maintained at 110%. The adopted fluxing strategy aimed to achieve a slag with minimum or no crystallization of the spinel.…”

“…Reductant addition was calculated using Equations [1] and [2]. Based on previous testwork (Maphutha et al 2017), the stoichiometric reductant addition in the smelting mixture was maintained at 110%.…”

“…Generic material balance methodologies described by Maphutha et al (2017) were adopted to determine partitioning of the respective elements between product streams.…”

A New Route of Roasting-Flotation-Leaching for the Beneficiation of Ti-Bearing Minerals from Altered Vanadium Titanomagnetite

“…VTM reserves are mainly distributed in China, South Africa, Russia, the USA, Canada, Norway, Finland, India, and Sweden, totally exceeding 40 Gt [4,5]. The VTM resources of the Panzhihua-Xichang area in China are very rich, with proven reserves of nearly 10 Gt [6].…”