REDUCTION PROCESS OF ILMENITE CONCENTRATE USING COAL AND Na2CO3 ADDITIVE TO PRODUCE IRON METAL AND TiO2 RICH SLAG

• Main Author: Dinillah, Rifda
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/39974
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Ilmenite is one of titanium minerals in nature that associates with iron and oxygen. Ilmenite in Indonesia isfound in the form of concentrate as by product of tin mining activities. These associated minerals are not yet processed until today, so it needs a development plan in order to utilize the minerals in the upcoming future. Titanium metal production process with Kroll Process needs TiO2 feed that has minimum content of 95%. With the increasing the needs of raw materials with high TiO2 contents, encourage the development of synthetic TiO2 materials. Therefore, this research is conducted to increase the utilization of ilmenite by removing the iron content to produce TiO2 rich slag that can be used as TiO2 pigment or titanium metal production feed. This research started with preparation of ilmenite concentrate to obtain feed that has size smaller than 100 mesh. Initial characterization of the concentrate was done by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Flourescence (XRF). The reduction process was conducted in 3 stages. The first stage was the initial isothermal for 20 minutes, and then the temperature was raised to 1500°C in 80 minutes, continue by isothermal heating at the final temperature for 60 minutes. The preoxidized ilmenite concentrate, coal, and Na2CO3 were mixed in the reduction process with initial isothermal temperature variations of 1000°C, 1100°C, 1200°C, 1300°C, 1400°C, 1500°C with constant 30% Na2CO3 addition and reduction process in constant initial isothermal temperature with variation of Na2CO3 0%, 15%, 45%, and 60%. Reduction product was separated and measured by weight and diameter. In addition, microstructural analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and XRD were performed on the reduction product. The results show that the higher initial isothermal temperature and the higher the addition of Na2CO3 will result in a higher metal recovery and a larger average diameter of the metal. The highest metal recovery percentage 97.53% obtained with the addition of 45% Na2CO3 and initial isothermal temperature 1300°C. While the largest average diameter (5,604 mm) obtained at the initial isothermal temperature of 1500°C. The number of metallic particles will decrease with the raise of initial isothermal temperature and addition of Na2CO3 as a result of molten phase formation. Slag phase equilibrium in the addition of 15%-60% Na2CO3 produce rich TiO2 area, amorphous area from gangue oxide, and dendrite area of NaxTiyOz precipitate with TiO2 and metal separation that separate succesfully.