COMPLEX PRODUCTION OF VANADIUM, TITANUIM, AND IRON FROM TITANIFEROUS MAGNETITES IN THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00280R000100100040-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 40
• Publication Date: October 5, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/04/04: CIA-RDP81-0028OR000100100040-9
COMPLEX PRODUCTION OF VANADIUM AND..IRON*-.FBoM
TITANIFEROUS MAGNETITES IN THE C .PEO !$ LIC
t 7 [Steel.], No 6, I. F. Krasnykh, TsNIIChX
1956. linos 523-53: [Tuci rrr t y _^..?_q^!r"'-
issledovatel'skiy institut
chernoy metallurgii
Central Scientific Resoarch
Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy]
The completion by Soviet and Chinese specialists of laboratory and
commercial-scale investigations for organizing the production of ferro-
alloys from titanomagnetites has yielded sufficient technological data
for the complex commercial utilization of these ores for smelting
ferrovanadium and ferrotitanium.
A characteristic example of the creative collaboration of Soviet and
Chinese specialists and also of the increased possibilities of research
institutes and plants in the Chinese People's Republic in solving indi-
vidual metallurgical problems is the completion of investigations and
commercial-scale experimental smeltings for organizing the production of
ferrovanadium and ferrotitanium in the Chinese People's Republic.
The technological cycle from raw materials to smelting of the
ferroalloy represents a complex system of metallurgical reductions in
connection with the need for the complex utilization of all the useful
elements of the ore (titanomagnetites).
After an examination of the mine, concentration plant, and ferroalloy
works which were destroyed by the Japanese usurpers during their retreat
and which were not in operation for more than 10 years, a program of
investigations and commercial scale experimental smeltings was scheduled
which was confirmed by the Ministry of Heavy Industry of the Chinese
People's Republic; moreover, it was decided that all the investigations
and plant experiments were to be carried out by the efforts of the
research organizations and plants of the Chinese People's Republic with
the technical assistance of the author and the participation of Soviet
and a large group of Chinese specialists.
A. Characteristics of the Ore and Concentrates
The chemical composition of the chief varieties of the utilizable
titanomagnetites are characterized by the following percentages.
Ore
Fe
V
TiO2
5102
P2O5
S
Rich
53.0
0.20
14.2
2.7
0.08
0.13
Average
36.0
0.15
8.2
18.1
0.125
0.20
L. ;-n
20.0
0.06
5.6
26.0
2.60
0.32
An examination of these data indicates a direct relationship between
the content of vanadium and titanium in the ore and the amount of iron:
the greater the iron content, the more vanadium and titanium in the ore.
Mineralogical analysis confirmed the presence in the ore of titanium,
mostly in the form of ilmenite (FeO.TiO2) and of vanadium in the magnetite
as a substitutent element (FeO.V203).
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STAT
A reverse relationship is observed with respect to harmful admixtures
i.e., with increasing content- of iron in the ore, the amount of silica,
phosphorus, and sulfur drops sharply.
Although the ore is good, lumpy material, the direct utilization of
rich ore in a blast furnace is not expedient, since this would lead to
the irretrievable loss of titanium; for when it passes into the blast
furnace slags, its extraction becomes practically impossible due to the
low concentration and extremely small size of the crystals. In addition,
direct. smelting of the ore yields a below-standard cast iron with an
increased content of sulfur and phosphorus.
For this reason, in all cases in which it is technologically possible,
the titanomagnetites should first be subjected to concentration. Also,
along with the elimination of the gangue and harmful admixtures, it is
possible, in many cases, to obtain 2 concentrates: iron-vanadium (magnetic
fraction) and iron-titanium (weakly magnetic fraction). Further rational
processing of the concentrates makes it possible to utilize vanadium,
titanium, and. iron.
We are not dealing here with the case in which separation of titanium
and vanadium by concentration methods becomes impossible, making it neces-
sary to employ electric blast furnace smelting which yields rich titanium
slags.
In connection with the limitation of reserves of rich ores, the
Ministry of Heavy Industry of the Chinese People's Republic formulated
a plan for processing ores containing 38% Fe; this is more complex than
during the-previous operation of the plant primarily with rich ores and
withoug taking into account the need for the rational development of the
entire deposit.
However, the application of improved methods of concentration (for
example, flotation) will make it possible to obtain from comparatively
lean ores quality concentrates suitable for processing into ferrovanadium
and ferrotitanium.
Since a certain reserve of concentrates was found at the concentration
works and the ferroalloy plant, it was decided to carry out the pre-
liminary work and the commercial-scale experimental smeltings with old
iron-vanadium technological questions and to enable the Chinese comrades
to acquire experience in a field of technology new to them.
The iron-vanadium concentrates which were used in the experiments
had the following composition, in %:
FeOtotal 58-60, FeO 25, V 0.38-0.39, 1102 8-9, Si02 2-3, P205 0.08,
S 0.12-0.15, A1203 2.4-3.0, MgO 0.8?-1.0, Ca0 0.8-1.0, MnO 0.15, Cr2O3 0.3
Sieve analysis of the concentrat' showed 10% of fraction larger
than 0.20 mm and about 40% of fractit less than 0.06 mm.
Previously, the iron-vanadium cor.,--`,rate of such a composition
and grain size was forwarded to the ferro~'loy plant for direct chemical
extraction of vanadium in the form of iron vanadate which was smelted
to give ferrovanadium. The concentrate was roasted in rotary furnaces
2 m in diameter and 32 m long.
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The sludge remaining after the leaching out of the vanadium, which
contained " " wa f%ilized, sine the Japanese specialists con-
sidered it imposslbie =.~ sm..iu is in a ola3b furnace jbecauae it contained
up to 10% TiO2). The total extraction of vanadium, as ferrovanadium,
from the concentrate did not exceed 25%.
The iron-titanium (ilmenite) concentrate which was found at the
concentration plant had the following composition, in %:
FeOtotal 35.12, FeO 1400, TiO2 36.5, V 0.07, Si02 4.62, P205 0.35, S 1.31,
A1203 2.83, CaO 0.58, MgO 1.48, MnO, MnO 0.60, Cr203 0.03.
Such a concentrate is not suitable for smelting ferrotitanium of
the standards established in the USSR,, since it contains little TiO 2
and too much phosphorus and silica. Previously, the ilmenite con-
centrate was shipped to Japan.
B Metallurgical Method of Processing Iron Vanadium Concentrate
The metallurgical method of processing consists of smelting the
previously caked concentrate in a blast furnace with the reduction of
the iron and vanadium, the resulting vandium cast iron is blown down
in a converter in which the vanadium is oxidized and passes into the
slag which contains 15-20 times more vanadium than the original con-
centrate. The vanadium is extracted from the slag by a chemical method
in the form of vanadium pentoxide which is used for smelting ferrovanadium.
Such a technology which permits the utilization of both vanadium
and iron waa developed and accomplished in the USSR (M. N. Sobolev, D. S.
Belyankin, A. M. Samarin, and various other workers of institutes and
plants [1, 2, 33) was later utilized also in other countries.
However, the blast furnace smelting of the iron-vanadium concen-
trate having the characteristics listed in section A above can involve
considerable difficulties in connection with the high content of
titanium dioxide and sulfur and the need for preliminary caking of the
raw material by briquetting or agglomeration (due to the fine grind of
the concentrate).
The investigation of such a complex process and the yield of
necessary data for designing the plant and concentration works required
the completion of not only laboratory but also of production-scale
experiments. For this reason, the experiments were carried out on a
commercial scale.
The first experiments for the agglomeration of about 30 t of iron
vanadium concentrate were carried out in June 1954 at the metallurgical
plant, the agglomeration department of which was equipped with round
pans of outmoded design with air feed from the bottom, For a large
content of fine fractions in the concentrate, considerable losses of
vanadium and iron were observed; these amounted to 20-25% in individual
cases. Experiments confirmed that the method of agglomerating the iron-
vanadiuiu concentrate in pans with air feed from the bottom is not
accqptable for commercial purposes.
 In September 1954 agglomeration experiments were repeated in an
experimental unit,-of another metallurgical plant, which consisted of 2
pans: a large one with a grate, 1,000 x 1,000 mm, and 300 mm high and a
small pan, 340 x 340 mm, and of the same height (distance between the
grate bars was 5 mm and the air was drawn from the top). The agglomerate
was tested for strength in a cylindrical drum 980 mm in diameter and
530 mm long with 3 partitions 250 mm high. In testing, a 20-kg sample
of the agglomerate was fed into the drum in lumps of 50 to 150 mm and
after 100 revolutions of the drum, the sample was sifted through sieves
with openings of 40, and 5 mm and the content of each class was deter-
mined.
In the case of an agglomerate from ordinary iron concentrates, the
following classification, as a function of the content of the 0-5 mm
fraction, was adopted at the plant:
content of 0-5 mm fraction, % 26 26-28 28
class of agglomerate I II .Reject
Only in a small portion of the 19 sinterings (including 3 on a large
pan) was agglomerate of second class obtained; in the remaining cases,
the fine fraction amounted from 35 to 41%. Thus, the experiments revealed
the relatively small strength of the agglomerate, although they confirmed
the possibility of obtaining agglomerate suitable for blast furnace smelting
from contemporary, well equipped units. The composition of the experi-
mental agglomerate is listed in Table 1.
RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTAL SINTERINGS OF IRON VANADIUM CONCENTRATE
Composition of charge. %
concentrate return limestone lime
52.5 40.0 1.8 1.2
57.5 35.0 2.0 1.0
56.0 33.0 2.0 1.0
Chemical composition of agglomerate. %
Thickness Duration
of charge of sinter-
coke breeze layer, mm ing min-
sec
4.5 12 - 13
4.5 250-280 14
8.0 15 - 16
Content of 0-5 mm fraction,
Fetotal FeO V Ti02 S
55.67 18.85 0.372 7.83 0.02 41.7
56.25 15.25 0.340 - 0.01 35.6
Since the experimental blast furnace smelting and the blowing down
of the cast iron were intended to be carried out at the third plant, with
distant transportation and repeated loading of the agglomerate, which
would have resulted in the formation of a large amount of fines and losses,
the possibility of briquetting the concentrate by high-temperature sintering
was investigated simultaneously with the agglomeration experiments.
The charge for briquetting consisted of 98% concentrate and 2% lime
and had a moisture content of 11-12%. Presses with pressures of up. to
200 t and equipped with rotating tables were used to make 170 x 170 x 60
mm briquets. The briquets were sintered on trolleys in a flame furnace
 70 m long and divided into 3 zones -- preheating, sintering, and cooling --
and fired with blast furnace gas.
The optimum sintering temperature for briquets from the iron-vanadium
concentrate was determined to be 1,390-1,410?, with holding for 15 minutes
at this temperature.
After sintering, the content of ferrous iron in the briquets decreased
to 4-8% instead of 26-27% in the concentrate. The content of sulfur also
decreased sharply. The briquets (Figure 1) had a considerably higher
strength than the agglomerate and showed the following average chemical
composition, in %:
Fetotal V Ti02 Si02 P S Al203 CaO MgO MnO
58.58 0.385 8.50 1.90 0.027 0.010 2.43 1.16 1.01 0.15
About 2,400 tons of briquets were prepared for the experimental blast
furnace smelting. Despite the repeated loading and additional grinding of
the briquets prior to charging into the blast furnace, the total losses did
not exceed 8%.
In October and November 1954, commercial-scale experimental smeltings
of vanadium cast iron were carried out in a blast furnace having a capacity
of 73 cu m (Figure 2). From 2,162 tons of briquets, 1,250 tons of cast
iron were obtained.
The condition of the furnace prior to the experiments was not entirely
satisfactory, because in the course of almost 3 months it operated at
low speed due to insufficient feed of raw materials in connection with
a river flood (after the removal of 2 sows, there were still stoppages).
The furnace has 6 tuyeres of 100 mm and slag and cast iron tap holes.
During the experimental smeltings, 3 air heaters were in operation. They
had a heating surface of only 2,400 square miles with a comparatively
low temperature of the blast - up to 380?. The fourth Cowper stove
with a heating surface of 1,200 m2 was started only toward the end of
the experiments.
On 25 October 1954, a third of the iron ore in the charge was replaced
with briquets and over a period of 2 days cast iron containing an average
of 0.77% Si, 0.39% Mn, and 0.179% V was obtained from such a charge. The
operation of '.he furnace was smooth; the slag and cast iron came out
normally.
On 27 October the charge was changed to 100% vanadium briquets. For
13 days the furnace operated normally, without complications. Changes
in the charge were made only in order to correct the content of sulfur
and alumina. The relative amount of slag varied from 1.0 to 1.26. The
composition of the raw materials used is listed in Table 2 and the
operating characteristics of the furnace for different chargas are listed
in Table 3.
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COMEOSIT]ON OF RAW MATFRIALS OF EW De1TAL BLAST FURNACE 3IELTING
Materials
Fe
totBi
Si02
Alt 3
MgO
MnO
V
no
2.
S P
uet
Bri
58.58
1.90
2.43
1.01
0.15
0.385
8.50
0.010 0.
027
q
Limestone
0.34
1.08
0.87
0.72
0.68
-
-
0.028 0.
009
Dolomite
0.60
2.40
1.11
17.05
0.60
-
0.01
0.009 0.
010
Blast furnace
slag
0.85
33.98
15.48
2.25
1.10
-
-
0.720 0.
008
Fireclay brick
grog
1.10
51.82
44.94
0.72
0.06
-
0.90
0.005 0.
116
Silica brick
grog
0.88
94.81
0.91
0.52
0.04
-
-
0.020 0.
023
Manganese ore
12.64
20.90
5.73
0.82
27.80
-
-
0.037 0.
320
Ash of coke A*
8.60
42.48
34.95
1.31
0.21
-
2.82
- 0.
010
Ash of coke B*
4.80
61.84
24.85
0.72
0.21
-
2.14
- 0.
063
Ash Coke A contained 6.5% ash and 0.59% S and 1.14% volatiles; coke B
contained 14.00% ash,. 0.59% S. and 1.11% volatiles?.
The cast iron obtained during this period had the following percen-
tage compositions:
4.00 0.635 0.375 0.461 0.24
for a slag composition, in % (Ca0?5102=1?18)8
Si02 Al203 CaO MgO Ti02 FeO MnO V205
27.54 13.11 32.46 6.78 '11.40 1.71 1.00 0.25
Material balance showed that the reduction of vanadium from the
briquets to cast iron amounted to 68% and-the losses in the slag were
23.7%. It can be assumed that, with a more modern blast furnace having
a smaller amount of slag, a greater extraction of vanadium is possible.
Titanium dioxide passed primarily into the slag (85-90%). With a
low temperature of the blast and with contaminating fluxes, there was
observed a comparatively high movement of sulfur into the cast iron, i.e.,
up to 31-12% of its content in `he charge. Optimum operation of the blast
furnace with briquets was observed under the following conditions:
~a) composition of slag, in % (CaO8SiO2-1.15-l.20),W
Ti02 A1203 MgO
12 13-15 6-8
(b) composition of cast iron, in %:
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TABLE 3
AVERAGE VALUES OF OPERATION OF iiLAST FU11MAC!: DURING SMELTING OF CAST IRON
0
Con .motet ion, 1;);i"t of cai.t iron 4-1 Blast coed! Lions
d
0
A.
Average
dpily
output,
Will;
0
o
p
op
O
O
ri
3 Nov-7 Nov
65.4
1,087
1.793
28
7 Howl: Nov
3?.5
1,029
1,731
41
78
10 Nov-16 Nov
44.9
1,218
1,792
57
420
423
37`
U ? C o
~ N p on
43 a a a - ftL
% n 0 [tQ +-r4 [w iii fin 'O C {
O,, ~. r-1 0 0.0 o,0 00 o YD '4 O 1 O tl 3 -5 Pt 1
7?" 4:. 30 165.7 S33 J R5.7
). (+ 20 18 l 56.0 374 170 0
35 168 1.66 40 142.0 372 1d6.2
 (c) temperature of blast up to 500?.
The average consumption of briquets per ton of cast iron amounted to
1.73 t and of coke 1.1 t.
During the last 4 days (fromll November - 15 November), the furnace
operation was cold due to drop in temperature of the blast. In order to
restore the normal operation, the furnace was operated to smelt. foundry
cast iron and then from the 20 to 22 November, vanadium cast iron was
again smelted with the remaining amount of briquets.
D. Blowing Down of Vanadium Cast Irontin the Converter
A 2-ton converter (Figure 3) was used for the experimental blowing
down of the cast iron; also, a railroad line was laid and trolley ladles
capable of holding 2.5 t of cast iron were made for transporting the
liquid cast iron. Altogether, 761 of cast iron from the blast furnace
(431 blowings) and 323 t of cast iron smelted in a cupola (182 blowings)
were processed in the converter.
The converter lining was made of magnesite brick which served
satisfactorily. The converter has 6 tuyers of 45-mm diameter for side
blast. Side blast had various advantage over bottom blast for the
oxidation of vanadium.
Since the cast iron obtained during the period of experiments in
the blast furnace had a wide range of vanadido and silicon contently it
became possible to investigate the process under different conditions.
Blowing down of the cast iron of the above indicated average composition'
during the period of normal, operation of the furnace proceeded quite
satisfactorily. The somewhat increased content of silicon had practical-
ly no negative effect on the process since the cast iron was tapped from
the blast furnace after 2-2.5 hours and the converter could cool between
the heats. This facilitated a decreaWin the overheating of the hearth'
during the blowing down in connection with the increased content of-
silicon in the cast iron.
The rates of burning of vanadium and silicon during the blowing down
of the cast iron, as a function of their content, are shown in Figure 4.
The temperature of the dearth during the blowing down of heat.2,556
varied as follows (Figure 4):
blowing down, in
minutes
Time from start of
Temperature of metal
oC
Time from start of
blowing down in
minutes
Temperature of metal
oC
1
2
3
4
5
1,160
1,175
1,180
1,195
1,205
6
7
8
9
10
1,240
1,265
1,285
1,300
1,345
-8-'
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Chemical analysis of the sample of vanadium slag, obtained by
averaging 13 average daily samples after the elimination of metal globules,
gave the following results, in %:
V205 FeO Si02 Ti02 MnO Fe met MgO A1203 S P
14.62 35.67 24.40 9.00 8.71 2.51 1.12 0.47 0.136 0.045
One may note the close agreement between the actual content of vanadium
pentoxide in the average sample of the slag (14.62%) and the calculated
average weight. (14.90%). Chemical processing of high-vanadium slag to
vanadium is much more economidTal than processing of the concentrate.
The content of metal globules in the converter slag amounted on the
average, to 11%. In order to grind the slag and remove from it the metal-
lurgical globules, the trolley with the slag was shipped to the experi-
mental -concentration unit of the metallurgical works; the remaining slag
was turned over to the ferroalloy plant.
E. Extraction of Vanadium from the Slaa
In order to extract vanadium from the slag, the following operations
are carried out:
(a) grinding and removing metal, obules, after which only a small
amount of dispersed metal inclusions r ins in the slag;
(b) oxidation roasting of the slag with salts of alkali metals at
750-850? to convert the vanadium into the soluble form (for example,
NaVO3);
(c) leaching out the soluble compounds of vanadium with hot water
with subsequent treating of the slurries with a weak acid solution for
additional extraction of vanadium;
(d) precipitating vanadium pentoxide from the solutions by heating
them to the boiling point;
(e) fusing vanadium pentoxide and preparing it in lump form for
smelting ferrovanadium.
The roasting of the slag is of the greatest importance, for the
extent of vanadium extraction depends largely on it. The roasting is
carried out in an oxidizing atmosphere for converting trivalent vanadium
into pentavalentvanadium.
Investigations have shown that the vanadium in the slag is in the
form of spinel Cl,, 2]. The chemical mechanism of the roasting can be
characterized by the following equation:
(V203) + 2NaC1 + 3/2 02 a 2NaVO3 + C12
However, this process does not go to completion and the roasted slag
also has vanadium compounds that are soluble only in acid.
At the experimental grinding unit of the concentration plant of the
metallurgical works, the wet process with the closed cycle is used for
 For a content of about 1% silicon and 0.47% vanadium (heat 2,556),
the blowing down of the metal to a content of 0.02-0.03% vanadium dragged
on up to 10 minutes even in the small converter. This confirms the need
for allowing, under normal operating conditions, a silicon content in the
cast iron not exceeding 0.3-0.4% and a vanadium content of 0-45-0-55%-
Tile optimum tenpsrature for the start of the blowing down(filling) for
such a cast iron can be considered as 1,200 ?20'.
In the course of 13 days 550 t of liquid metal with 2,536 kg vanadium,
were poured into the converter and 26,245 kg, of vanadium slag with 2,184 kg
vanadium were obtained. The extraction of vanadium from the cast iron into
the slag amounted to 86..1% and the yield of semiproduct (metal) was 90%
of the cast iron poured into the converter (86% in ingots and 4% in gates).
During a comparatively cold operation of the blast furnace, a batch
of cast iron was tapped with an average vanadium content of 0.342% and,
during blowing down, its extraction into the slag amounted to 85.4%. The
corresponding rates of burning of vanadium and silicon are shown in
Figure 4 (heat 2,675),
The blowing down c. '23 t of cast iron with preliminary melting in a
cupola is of definite i,_ ?est. Experiments were carried out for the ex-
traction of vanadium from to solid cast iron which was unavoidably
obtained during tapping fro_n the blast furnace in connection with the
limited capacity of the ladlas. The question of the extent of combustion
loss of vanadium in the cupola was also clarified.
During the melting, 125-130 kg coke, 20-25 kg limestone, and 5-10 kg
feldspar were added per 1,400 kg of the charge in the cupola. If the
vanadium cast iron contains little silicon, then the combustion loss of
vanadium may be as high as 20-25%, which was observed in the given case
and especially in the first heats. However, when the Si content in the
cast iron reached up to one percent, the combustion loss of vanadium
dropped to 10-12% and even lower. Silicon and titanium are protective
elements for vanadium, which is confirmed by their considerable oxidation
during the melting of the cast iron.
The overall results of the blowing down of vanadium cast iron are
listed in Table 4.
Period Characteristics
of period
28 Oct Normal operation
-10 Nov of blast furnace
11 Nov Cold operation
-15 Nov of blast furnace
15 Nov Melting of cast
-20 Nov iron in cupola
20 Nov Non-normal operation
-22 Nov of blast furnace
Added to converter
Obtained
Ettrac-
ti
f
on o
cast iron
Vanadium
slag,
vanadium
vanadium
in cast
tons
in slsg,
%
iron, kg
kg
550
2,536
26.2
2,184
86.1
135
*462
4.8
395.
85.5
323
1,130
15.2.
962
85.1
76
285
3.9
242
84.9
50.1
3,783
85.7
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 grinding, claasificat.Li;, and atagroLi: auparni.ic,.. ! rctt. P% -r- Alas'
without globules passes from the classifier into the run-off. Hence
one can exclude magnetic separation during good control. An inherent
shortcoming of the wet grinding is the need for drying the slag.
Experiments on the extraction of vanadium from the slag were first
carried out on a laboratory scale, with roasting in a muffle furnace
for one kg of charge and then on a semicommercial scale with equipment
of the roasting and chemical departments.
The semicommercial furnace (Figure 5), which is fired by city gas,
has a length of 8,650 mm and an effective diame#..er at 600 mm; a coalmaation
chamber was built in (Figure 6). For 24 revolutions of the furnace40r~
hour its loading capacity amounts to 2-2.5 per 24 hours. Along the length
of the furnace there are 6 openings for the thermocouples which are used
for checking the results of the systematically employed optical pyrometer
(Figure 6). The temperature in the furnace varies along the length from
850 to 4300 (including the locations of the discharge of the roasted
charge and of the exit of the gas).
Three covered openings have been built along the length of the
furnace to allow sampling of the charge.
The roasted charge is discharged directly into a tank containing
water at 500.
In preliminary laboratory experiments on the aqueous leaching out
of vanadium, the results obtained were good.
The optimum extraction of vanadium (80-85%) is attained by adding
to the slag 12% of table salt and by roasting at 800-8300. When sodium
sulfate-is added instead of table salt, it is necessary to raise the
temperature by 100-1500; in addition, the charge is sintered into dense
spheres and the extraction of vanadium drops.
During a 3-fold aqueous extraction of the roasted charge with Natal
and vacuum filter, the residual-content in the slurry of vanadium Ride
did not exceed 0.25%. If weak solutions aftar the second and third
leaching out are utilized for the first leaching out, then the concen-
tration of vanadium pentoxide in the main aqueous solution cants raised
to 45-50 g/1.
For acid leaching out a 6% solution of sulfuric acid was used.
The precipitation of vanadium pentoxide took place at 950 and a
solution acidity of pH-0.5 during 2-2.5 hours; also, the content of
V 0 in the run-off waters was brought down to 0.3 g/1. (for an original
c&n6entration of 30-40 g/l.).
In the experimental order, an investigation was made of the precipi-
tation of vanadium in the form of ammonium vanadate and from the residual
solutions, in the form of calcium vanadate.
As a result of the processing of about 22 t of slag, we obtained
over 3.9 t of crude vanadium pentoxide which was discharged for experi-
mental smelting of ferrovanadium and other utilization. A portion of the
vanadium pentoxide was remelted at about 8000 into a lumpy product
of the following percentage composition:
-11
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V205
Fe203
3i02
A1203
091.0
1.4.0
0.40
1.39
F. Laboratory Smelting of Ferrovanadium
Silicothermal smelting in a closed furnace gives a good yield of
ferrovanadium. Since no such furnace was available and the amount of
fused vanadium pentoxide was comparatively small the first experimental
laboratory smeltings of ferrovanadium were carried out by.the alumina-
thermal method. .
It was established that it is possible by the aluminothersal method
to obtain from the fused vanadium pentoxide a ferrovanadium with praetical-
ly any content of vanadium. The organization of smelting of standard
rrovanadium (35-40%) does not present any difficulties. However, in case
the use of iron vanadate, the alloy prepared by this method contains
not over 33% vanadium.
G. Chemical Processing of Iron Vanadium Concentrates
Considering the possibility of starting the ferroalloy plant before
organizing the metallurgical processing of the iron-vanadium concentrate,
we also carried out extensive laboratory investigations of chemical pro-
cessing of this concentrate in order to determine the possibility of
improving the previously obtained results. About 100 roasting and leaching
out experiments were conducted under different conditions with charges
of one kg and also the same number of experiments with charges of 100 g.
TIa results have shown that better extraction of vanadium is attained
by roasting the concentrate with sodium sulfate at a temperature of 1,100-
1In order to increase the concentration of vanadium pentoxide in
the solutions to that required for precipitation, it is necessary to leach
out 7-8 times with the same solution.
The precipitation of iron vanadate is possible with a smaller con-
centration of vanadium in the solutions, but as was pointed out earlier
the ferrovanadium from the iron vanadate cannot contain more than 33%
vanadium.
H. Improving the Quality of the Ilmenite Concentrate
In order to organize the smelting of standard ferrotitanium, labo-
ratory and semi.coimaercial investigations were conducted to improve the
quality of the iron-titanium (ilmenite) concentrate.
It was intended to raise by concentration the content of titanium
dioxide to 40% and higher (instead of the existing 35%) and to lower the
content of P 0 to 0.07% (instead of 0.35%) and of silica to 2.5% and
lower (insteO of 4.6%). The sulfur can be removed to the required limit
by means of oxidation roasting of the concentrate at a temperature of
about 1,200?.
After the laboratory investigations, experiments were carried out
with P commercial batch of the concentrate (over 200 Q.
The titanium-containing mineral in the ore is mostly ilmenite and
also the small amount of rutile, titanomorphite.
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The minerals of the veinstone include mostly magnetite, apatite,
RMs ,5 ni M
calcite, and chl:.rite. During g.ina'?s:g ;- ia~ _:.?..- crA to 100 mesh
(0.15 mm), a greater portion of the ilmm:nite, a magnetite, and veinstone
form free grains. During the investigation, a check was made of 6 methods
for improving the quality of the concentrate:
'low
(a) flotation;
(b) magnetic separation with a high-voltage magnetic field;
(c) magnetic separation with a low-voltage magnetic field;
(d) magnetic separation with a high-voltage magnetic field and
flotation;
(e) both types of magnetic separation
(f) both types of magnetic separation with the addition of flotation.
The best values of extraction were obtained by flotation (Table 5).
TABLE 5
RESULTS OF ADDITIONAL It VI
NT OF IIIeJITE CONCgiTATE
Method of improvement
Percentage Composition of
concentrate II
x raction of
,
Ti02
P2O
Si02
40.07
0.06
3.25
85
63
39.67
0.07
2.73
.
40.56
0.05
2.40
84.01?
39.16
0.08
3.50
88.14
40.72
0.075
2.83
91.52
Magnetic separation with
high voltage magnetic
field and flotation
39.61
0.13
3.61
83.86'
83.86
40.47
Both types of magnetic
separation and flotation
40.71
0.19
3.90
78.99
6
40.97
0.13
2.64
83.2
With a laboratory concentration unit, products of the following
percentage composition were obtained:
Product
Yield
Ti02
P205
Si02
V205
Concentrate II
67.4
40.56
0.05
2.40
0.14
36.78
0.26
Commercial product
7.5
29.57
-
5.92
-
Tailings
25.09
23.06
-
7.99
the by method
The processing of a commercial batch of the concentrate
the following
of flotation (A) and flotation with classification (B) gave
in %.
results
,
Method of processing
A
B
Yield of concentrate II
57.0
43.8
Extraction of titanium
64.8
52.3
Content in concentrate
II:
0
15
43.02
Ti02
4
.
p205
0.069
0.10
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A certain portion of the concentrate was processed only on the clas-
sifier with preliminary grinding in a large ball mill. The yield of
secondary concentrate with 43.02% T102 and 0.08% P205 amounted thereby
to 42.1% with a titanium extraction of 52?'
The resulting concentrate was subjected to roasting in a rotary
furnace in order to remove the sulfur. The secondary concentrate should
be considered suitable for smelting standard ferrotitanium. Laboratory
aluminothermal.smeltings of secondary concentrate confirmed the full
possibility of obtaining such ferrotitanium.
Conclusions
1. For the complex utilization of vanadium, titanium, and iron of
titanomagnetites, it is expedient to concentrate the ore, with the sepa-
ration ;)f 2 concentrates, and to utilize a metallurgical method of proces-
sing the iron-vanadium concentrate.
2. The technological data obtained from the completion of commercial
and laboratory experiments make it possible to carry out the design of
ferroalloy and metallurgical plants and of a concentration works with the
utilization of ores of. average quality.
1. D. Be Belyankin and V. V. Lapin. Zavisei;-Vaerossivskono minera-
lo?icheskoao obshchestva [Notes of the All-Russian Mineralogical Society],
Part 2, No 20 1943, Pages 149-159; Izvestiva AN SSW [News of the Acades47
of Sciences USSR], Division of Technical Science, 1946, No 11, Pages 1649-54
2. Ya. S. Umanskiy, Ya. E. Sanchuk, and A. Yu. Polyakov, Stal. 1951
NO 2, Pages 99-103
3. M. N. Sobolev, Irylecher-Aye a i a uraltskikh
titanoma netitoy [Extraction of vanadium and tit from Ural titano-
magnetites]. ONTI CObwedinenive nauchno-tekhnicheskikh izdatel'sty
-- United Scientific and Technical Publishing Houses], Main Editorial
Office of Literature on Nonferrous Metallurgy, 1936, Moscow-Leningrad.
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Vftwo 1. azternal view of briquet of iron-vanadium aoaosatft4R
Figure Z. Profile of blast furnace Figure 8. Converter for blowing
in which vanadium cast down cast iron
iron was smelted.
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!lowing-down one, in min. Blowing-down time, In min
4
4N
4
4N
4W
qi
41I
~ 41
-
1s
u
4
?q
4
4?
-
-
4?
420
~
4
e 4M
>
-
-
-
-
-
~-
4/0
-
-
.
4i
4os
Figure 4. Rates of combustion of vanadium and silicon during-tbs
blowing down of the heats. at 2538= b, 8878.
lists S. a.iicoaaercial furnace for roasting vanadium slag
Figure as Combustion chamber of the furnace for roasting the slag