Ural State Mining University, Ekaterinburg, Russia

Pelevin A. E., Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor, a-pelevin@yandex.ru

The aim of this work was to assess the possibility of obtaining high-quality ilmenite concentrates from mineral processing waste. Environmentally friendly, low-cost beneficiation schemes without additional grinding were used in the research. The schemes included operations of fine hydraulic screening, magnetic, gravity, and electrical beneficiation. During the processing of aged tailings from the Kusinskaya processing plant, an ilmenite concentrate with a TiO₂ mass fraction of 48.59% was obtained at a yield of 2.81% and a TiO₂ recovery of 36.03%. Beneficiation of tailings from the Kachkanarsky GOK showed the possibility of obtaining a high-quality ilmenite concentrate with a TiO₂ mass fraction of 48.47–48.66%. During the beneficiation of tailings samples from the Krasnouralskaya processing plant, a low-grade concentrate with a mass fraction of 41.25% TiO₂ was obtained. The yields of ilmenite concentrates were 0.31–0.47% TiO₂. The reduced yield of concentrates is due to the low mass fraction of ilmenite in the titanomagnetite ores processed at the Kachkanarsky GOK and the Krasnouralskaya processing plant. Placer deposits of noble metals often contain ilmenite. After the extraction of noble metals from placer deposits, a titanium-containing concentrate can be obtained from the waste. The research demonstrated the technical feasibility of extracting titanium from processing waste of ilmenite-titanomagnetite, titanomagnetite ores, and placer deposits.

1. Sadykhov G. B. Fundamental problems and prospects for the use of titanium raw materials in Russia. Izvestiya. Ferrous Metallurgy. 2020. Vol. 63. No. 3–4. pp. 178–194.
2. Kotova O. B., Ozhogina E. G., Ponaryadov A. V. Technological mineralogy: development of a comprehensive assessment of titanium ores (exemplified by the Pizhemskoye deposit). Journal of Mining Institute. 2022. Vol. 256. pp. 632–641.
3. Makeev A. B., Bryanchaninova N. I., Krasotkina A. O. Unique titanium Deposits of Timan: genesis and age issues. Journal of Mining Institute. 2022. Vol. 255. pp. 275–289.
4. Kuzin E. N., Mokrushin I. G., Kruchinina N. E. Thermal treatment of quartz-leucoxene concentrate. Mining Informational and Analytical Bulletin. 2023. No. 2. pp. 30–42.
5. Xiayu Zheng, Li Du, Shuangjia Li, Zihang Jing, Dongfang Lu, Keyan Jia, Kadir Cadiere, Bingyao Peng, Yuhua Wang. A novel method for efficient recovery of ilmenite by high gradient magnetic separation coupling with magnetic fluid. Minerals Engineering. 2023. Vol. 202. 108279.
6. Liren Han, Zhiyong Cheng, Dongfang Lu. Separation analysis of new magnetic separator for pre-concentration of ilmenite particles. Minerals. 2022. Vol. 12, Iss. 7. 837.
7. Pan Yu, Zhan Ding, Yongchao Miao, Jiaqiao Yuan, Anmei Yu, Yanyu Tang, Shuming Wen, Shaojun Bai. Synergism mechanism of the combined NaOL-SDBS collector at solid-liquid interface and its response to flotation separation of ilmenite from pyroxene. Surfaces and Interfaces. 2024. Vol. 51. 104760.
8. Bulatov K. V., Gazaleeva G. I., Mushketov A. A., Sopina N. A. Development of a technology for producing iron concentrate from copper-titanomagnetite ores of the Volkovskoye deposit. Obogashchenie Rud. 2021. No. 5. pp. 27–32.
9. Gazaleeva G. I., Shikhov N. V., Sopina N. A., Mushketov A. A. Current trends in processing of titanium-bearing ores. Chernaya Metallurgiya. Byulleten’ Nauchno-Tekhnicheskoy i Ekonomicheskoy Informatsii. 2015. Iss. 12. pp. 30–36.
10. Demidov I. V., Dmitriev S. V., Ivanov K. S., Mezenin A. O. On the development of the theory of dry magnetic and electrostatic separation. Obogashchenie Rud. 2018. No. 6. pp. 33–37.
11. Azbel Yu. I., Dmitriev S. V., Mezenin A. O., Bukharov M. I. The Butkinsky Mining and Processing Complex rougher concentrate flow sheet development with a view to produce marketable ilmenite product. Obogashchenie Rud. 2015. No. 1. pp. 14–17.
12. Bulatov K. V., Gazaleeva G. I., Shikhov N. V., Nazarenko L. N. Development of a beneficiation scheme for titanium-zirconium sands of the Shokash deposit, North Kazakhstan. Obogashchenie Rud. 2023. No. 6. pp. 3–8.
13. Kuzin E. N., Kruchinina N. E., Galaktionov S. S., Krasnoshchekov A. N. Neutralization of sulfate solutions in complex treatment of diopsidecontaining processing waste. Obogashchenie Rud. 2019. No. 4. pp. 38–43.
14. Pelevin A. E., Kornilkov S. V., Dmitriev A. N., Bagazeev V. K. Quality improvement of magnetite concentrate in separate processing of different iron ore types and varieties. Mining Informational and Analytical Bulletin. 2021. Iss. 11-1. pp. 306–317.
15. Dmitriev A. N., Vitkina G. Yu., Petukhov R. V., Kornilkov S. V., Pelevin A. E., Fishman F. Ya., Sapozhnikova T. V., Shunyaev K. Yu. The Characteristic of Ores and Concentrates of the Open Society “EVRAZ KGOK”. Advanced Materials Research. 2013. Vol. 834-836. pp. 364–369.
16. Yongchao Miao, Shuming Wen, Qicheng Feng, Shaojun Bai. Co-adsorption mechanism of NaOL/OHA mixed collectors and its contribution to surface hydrophobicity of micro-fine ilmenite: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study. Journal of Molecular Liquids. 2024. Vol. 411. 125689.
17. Jihua Zhai, Pan Chen, Hongbin Wang. Green flotation of ilmenite with bio-based sophorolipid: New insights into the effects of temperature on interfacial adsorption. Minerals Engineering. 2025. Vol. 234. 109742.
18. Jiaqiao Yuan, Xiang Gong, Hongyu Lu, Wei Jiang, Hao Lai, Shuming Wen, Shaojun Bai, Dandan Wu. Adsorption mechanism of a novel collector (2-ethylhexyl) phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester for selective flotation separation of ilmenite from titanaugite. Minerals Engineering. 2025. Vol. 228. 109340.
19. Dündar H. Investigating the benefits of replacing hydrocyclones with high-frequency fine screens in closed grinding circuit by simulation. Minerals Engineering. 2020. Vol. 148. 106212.
20. Shuaiping Shen, Zhitao Yuan, Jiongtian Liu, Qingyou Meng, Haiqing Hao. Pre-concentration of ultrafine ilmenite ore using a superconducting magnetic separator. Powder Technology. 2020. Vol. 360. pp. 1–9.
21. Pelevin A. E. Increasing the efficiency of iron-ore dressing by separation in an alternative magnetic field. Chernye Metally. 2021. No. 5. pp. 4–9.
22. Kuskov V. B., Lvov V. V., Yushina T. I. Increasing the recovery ratio of iron ores in the course of preparation and processing. CIS Iron and Steel Review. 2021. Vol. 21. pp. 4–8.
23. Pelevin A. E. Production of hematite concentrate from hematitemagnetite ore. Mining Informational and Analytical Bulletin. 2020. No. 3-1. pp. 422–430.
24. Zhita Yuan, Xuan Zhao, Jiwei Lu, Hong Lv, Lixia Li. Innovative preconcentration technology for recovering ultrafine ilmenite using superconducting high gradient magnetic separator. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology. 2021. Vol. 31, Iss. 6. pp. 1043–1052.
25. Romeijn T., Behrens M., Paul G., Wei D. Experimental analysis of water and slurry flows in gravity-driven helical mineral. Powder Technology. 2022. Vol. 405. 117538.
26. Guichuan Ye, Qingxiang Liu, Liqiang Ma, Xianshu Dong. CFD-DEM investigation of fluid and particle motion behaviors in initial stage of spiral separation process at low solids concentration. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review. 2023. Vol. 44. Iss. 7. pp. 475–480.
27. Yan X., Wang H., Peng Z., Hao J., Zhang G., Xie W., He Y. Triboelectric properties of ilmenite and quartz minerals and investigation of triboelectric separation of ilmenite ore. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology. 2018. Vol. 28, Iss. 2. pp. 223–230.
28. Chelgani S. C., Neisiani A. A. Electrostatic Separation. In: Dry Mineral Processing. Springer Cham, 2022. pp. 91–123.
29. Vaisberg L. A., Kononov O. V., Ustinov I. D. Fundamentals of Geometallurgy. Saint Petersburg: Russkaya Kollektsiya, 2020. 376 p.
30. Fominykh V. G., Kraeva Yu. P., Larina N. V. Petrology and Ore Genesis of the Kachkanarsky Massif. Sverdlovsk: RISO UNC AN SSSR, 1987. 180 p.
31. Pelevin A. E. Increasing the efficiency of iron ore raw materials beneficiation by separation in an increased magnetic field. Chernye Metally. 2022. No. 1. pp. 31–36.