Recovery of Niobium and Zirconium from the Cyclone Discharge of Chlorination Plant Producing Titanium Tetrachloride

摘要

This paper describes a method for recovering niobium and zirconium from the cyclone solid residues arising from chlorination of titaniferrous ores. The residue contains beneficiated ilmenite (Bl) fines, calcined petroleum coke (CPC) and metal chlorides of niobium, aluminium, zirconium, iron, manganese, vanadium etc. The Bl fines and CPC present in the residue were removed by soaking the residue with water and by separating the insoluble fraction contain Bl and CPC by filtration. The filtrate containing the soluble metal chlorides was acidified with hydrochloric acid followed by agitation and heating in the presence of sulphate ions (sulphuric acid) to precipitate niobium and zirconium as their oxo sulphate which is filtered, dried and calcined to convert niobium and zirconium oxides. The optimum amount of sulphuric acid was found to be 3 % and the optimum pH and temperature for precipitation of niobium and zirconium is 0.5 and 90 °C respectively.