Extraction of titanium, vanadium and iron from titanomagnetite deposits at pipestone lake, Manitoba, Canada

A process has been developed at the laboratory scale for the recovery of titanium, vanadium and iron from the vanadium bearing titanomagnetite deposit at Pipestone Lake, Manitoba, by combined pyro- and hydrometallurgical processing route. The ore which contains 57.5% Fe, 0.66% V and 16.6% TiO2 was subjected to selective reduction smelting so that most of the iron reported to the metal phase and the vanadium and titanium to the slag phase. The iron had a purity of 99%. The slag contained between 9–35% FeO, 31–46% TiO2, and 1.2–1.6% V. Over 98% of the titanium and vanadium reported to the slag phase. The slag was roasted with soda ash at 950°C and then leached with hot water at 80°C to recover vanadium. The leach residue was further treated with hydrochloric acid at 105°C in order to upgrade TiO2 content by removing mainly iron, magnesium and aluminum. The final product contained 82.9% TiO2, 1.5% FeO, 15.6% SiO2, 1% MgO, 2% Al2O3, and 0.3% CaO with an overall titanium recovery above 90%. This product can be utilized as feedstock to the pigment industry.