Sequential recovery of calcium, silicon, and titanium from titanium-magnesium production wastes by nitric acid leaching and ammonium bifluoride treatment

N.M. Tolegenova; A.M. Yessengaziyev; A.A. Ultarakova; M. Brajendra

doi:10.31643/2028/6445.40

Authors

N.M. Tolegenova Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University
A.M. Yessengaziyev Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University
A.A. Ultarakova Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University
M. Brajendra Worcester Polytechnic Institute

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31643/2028/6445.40

Keywords:

ilmenite smelting dust, neutralization sludge, ammonium bifluoride, amorphous silica, calcium nitrate, titanium dioxide.

Abstract

This study examines sequential processing routes for calcium-rich neutralization sludge and silicon-rich electric smelting dust generated during titanium-magnesium production. The sludge was subjected to nitric acid leaching to recover calcium, followed by solution purification, production of a calcium nitrate-based product, and ammonium bifluoride treatment of the solid residue. The smelting dust was processed by staged ammonium bifluoride treatment to separate silicon- and titanium-bearing compounds, followed by hydrolysis, purification, and thermal treatment of the recovered products. Nitric acid leaching extracted 84.7% of calcium from the sludge, while subsequent processing produced a calcium nitrate-based product and amorphous silica. Treatment of the smelting dust enabled silicon separation and the production of amorphous silica containing 96.3% SiO₂. Further processing of the titanium-bearing concentrate yielded rutile containing 99.8% TiO₂. Comparison of the two routes identified residual fluorine in the sludge-derived residue and impurity co-sublimation during dust processing as the main technological limitations. The results demonstrate the potential for differentiated recovery of valuable components from titanium-magnesium production wastes.

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Author Biographies

N.M. Tolegenova, Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University

Ph.D. candidate, Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8059-2960

A.M. Yessengaziyev, Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University

Ph.D., Head of the Laboratory of Titanium and Rare Refractory Metals, Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4989-4119

A.A. Ultarakova, Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University

Candidate of Technical Sciences, Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation JSC, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9428-8508

M. Brajendra, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7897-1817

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