|
South Africa has the World’s largest reserve of titanium
minerals (145 million tons). There are two common titanium
minerals, rutile (titanium dioxide) and ilmenite (iron-titanate).
Rutile is exported directly and ilmenite is smelted to produce pig
iron and titanium slag containing about 85% TiO2. Current slag
output is approximately 1.2106 tons per annum.
At least 80% of the locally produced slag is
suitable for chlorination in fluidised bed reactors and is
exported as feedstock for the production of titanium tetrachloride
(TiCl4). Titanium tetrachloride, in turn, is used for the
production of high quality TiO2 pigment and titanium metal.
Despite the leading position that South Africa
enjoys in the supply of feedstock to the titanium industry, TiCl4
and its derivatives (TiO2 and titanium metal) are not produced
locally. At present, local expertise and facilities to produce
TiCl4 and titanium metal on pilot plant scale is extremely
limited.
The aim of the project is to establish in South
Africa the know-how and test facilities to:
- Chlorinate rutile and high-titanium slag;
- Produce titanium metal;
- Development of alternative technologies for
the beneficiation of titanium slag.
Data generated during the project will be used
to evaluate the economic feasibility of a local titanium industry.
Should a local industry be economically viable the project would
have served to establish an industry for the beneficiation of one
of the country’s most significant natural resources. |