Application of 28 GHz microwave irradiation to oxidation of limenite ore for new rutile extraction process

作者：Itoh Satoshi^*; Suga Takuya; Takizawa Hirotsugu; Nagasaka Tetsuya

来源：ISIJ International, 2007, 47(10): 1416-1421.

DOI：10.2355/isijinternational.47.1416

• microwave
• ilmenite ore
• rutile
• pseudobrookite
• up-grading
• permittivity

Microwave heating has been applied to the oxidation in the new rutile extraction process developed by the authors in which rutile is extracted from a natural ilmenite ore by oxidation and magnetic separation followed by leaching with diluted acid. Since ilmenite FeTiO3 and pseuclobrookite Fe2TiO5 strongly absorb 28 GHz microwave, Australian ilmenite ore mainly composed of FeTO3 was rapidly heated up to about 1 273 K and oxidized in air with keeping almost constant temperature. As a result, two equilibrium phases of rutile TiO2 and pseuclobrookite were quickly formed at microwave power of 1.5 kW. The growth rate of the pseudobrookite phase in the microwave irradiation was found to be much faster than that of the rutile phase in the conventional resistance furnace, indicating a drastic enhancement of the growth rate by the microwave irradiation.

• 出版日期2007