Ilmenite Beneficiation by Roasting and Magnetic Separation

A new crude ilmenite beneficiation process was recently proposed that allowed for the preparation of a smelter grade ilmenite from ilmenite with elevated chromium content. This study investigates a magnetising roasting process to beneficiate an ilmenite low susceptible reject stream produced during this circuit. Material tested was obtained from pilot scale simulations on a typical South African East Coast heavy mineral reserve. Small-scale experiments were conducted to define approximate operational limits for the oxidising roasting of the low susceptible ilmenite reject stream, with results compared against literature for crude ilmenite. Although the laboratory results may differ significantly from industrial conditions, these preliminary findings set the groundwork for further confirmation in a pilot plant scale phase. The results indicate the potential for optimizing the roasting process to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of ilmenite fractions prior to magnetic separation, thereby improving overall recovery efficiency. Future research directions will focus on validating these findings under industrial conditions.