Nl Industries

Brian R Davis

Joseph A Rahm

Ramaswami Neelameggham

R Keith Darlington

Robert D Toomey

A process is provided for the manufacture of titanium compounds and particularly titanium dioxide wherein excess titaniferous bearing material is reacted with dilute sulfuric acid having a concentration of between about 25% and about 60% by weight at a temperature below about 140.degree. C. Thereafter, the titanium sulphate may be recovered or processed to provide titanium dioxide hydrate accompanied by recycling the spent acid for reaction with the titaniferous bearing material charged to the process. The titanium hydrate may be calcined to provide titanium dioxide pigment.

Process for manufacturing titanium compounds

A process is provided for the manufacture of titanium dioxide pigment wherein excess ilmenite ore is reacted with dilute sulfuric acid having a concentration of between about 25% and about 60% by weight and in preferably at least two stages wherein the first stage is maintained at a temperature up to about 140.degree. C. and the second stage is conducted at a lower temperature (than the first stage) which is below about 100.degree. C. to provide a salt solution of titanium and iron. Thereafter, the titanium is hydrolyzed to provide titanium dioxide hydrate accompanied by recycling the spent acid from the hydrolysis for reaction with the ilmenite ore charged to the process. The titanium hydrate is calcined to provide titanium dioxide pigment.

Process for manufacturing titanium dioxide

Process of extracting titanium values from titaniferous bearing material by circulating a reaction mixture containing titanium values in an agitation column located within a reaction vessel in a direction countercurrent to the flow of the reaction mixture in the annular space located between the agitation column and the inner reaction vessel wall, said circulation being done in a manner to maintain the titaniferous bearing material in a continuous turbulent suspension flow in the agitation column and discharging the reaction mixture from the reaction vessel and recovering the extracted titanium values.

Process for extracting titanium values from titaniferous bearing material

Magnesium oxide is chlorinated in molten impure magnesium chlorine with chlorine gas by adding ferrous chloride to magnesium chloride brine, drying the brine, adding a mixture of calcined petroleum coke and charcoal to the dried brine, melting the product and chlorinating the formed melt. Ferrous chloride is added in amounts sufficient to provide from about 1.0% to 2.2% by weight of iron in the dried product. A highly reactive carbon source is added in amounts of from about 0.8 to 2.3% by weight and a carbon source that is less reactive than the highly reactive carbon source is added in amounts ranging from about 0.8 to 2.3% by weight of dried brine. Iron levels in the magnesium chloride melt may be adjusted upwardly by addition of a mixture of iron oxide and charcoal. A melt cell characterized by side entry electrodes disposed at angles from 40.degree. to 50.degree., an arched roof configuration, and an improved electrode refractory and ceramic sleeve construction is used to chlorinate the magnesium.

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Bricktown, NJ, United States of America

Brian R Davis