화학공학소재연구정보센터
홈 로그인 로그아웃 연락처 사이트맵
Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol.33, 59-72, January, 2016
DOI10.1016/j.jiec.2015.09.018  Export Citation
Comparison of microwave irradiation and oxidation roasting as pretreatment methods for modification of ilmenite physicochemical properties
Akbar Mehdilo, and Mehdi Irannajad†
  • Department of Mining and Metallurgical Eng., Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran
E-mail:
The effect of microwave irradiation and oxidation roasting (as a conventional heating method) on ilmenite surface properties and its flotation behavior were compared. This comparison was performed by carrying out micro and laboratory scales flotation tests, XPS, XRD, FTIR, SEM and microprobe analyses, zeta potential and contact angle measurements. The micro scale flotation experiments indicated that the ilmenite flotation recovery improves from 73.5% to almost 94% and 91% after pretreatment by microwave irradiation and oxidation roasting, respectively. This is in good concordance with the results of XPS analysis showing the increase of Fe3+ content from 48.5% to 66% after pretreatment by microwave irradiation and 64.8% after oxidation roasting. As evidenced by FTIR analysis, zeta potential and contact angle measurements, the improvement in ilmenite floatability and hydrophobicity after pretreatment is due to the entrance of more oleate ions into the Helmholtz layer and the increase of the formation of ferric iron oleate which is more insoluble than the ferrous one. The surface properties and floatability of quartz does not change significantly after pretreatment by both methods. In ore flotation experiments, when the grinded ore was pretreated by microwave irradiation and oxidation roasting, without significant changes in the TiO2 grade of flotation concentrate, the recovery of TiO2 improves from 65.4 to 76.2% and 73.7%, respectively. In the case of non-grinded ore, the recovery of TiO2 increases up to 79.8% and 70.2% after microwave irradiation and oxidation roasting, respectively. The decrease of iron content in the gangue minerals increases the improvement of TiO2 grade and recovery after pretreatment by both methods. Using microwave irradiation as a pretreatment process, the improvement in the recovery of TiO2 and separation efficiency is more than those of oxidation roasting. In addition, microwave irradiation reduces the consumption of activation and depressant agents.
Keywords:Ilmenite;Microwave irradiation;Oxidation roasting;Flotation;Zeta potential
  1. Song Q, Tsai SC, Int. J. Miner. Process., 26, 111 (1989)
  2. Force ER, Geology of titanium-mineral deposits, in: Spec Paper 259, Geological Society of America, 1991.
  3. Fan X, Rowson NA, Dev. Chem. Eng. Miner. Process., 8, 167 (2000)
  4. Fan X, Rowson NA, Miner. Eng., 13(2), 205 (2000)
  5. Fan XC, Waters KE, Rowson NA, Parker DJ, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 329(1), 167 (2009)
  6. Zhu Y, Zhang G, Feng Q, Yan D, Wang W, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 21, 1149 (2011)
  7. Bulatovic S, Wyslouzil DM, Miner. Eng., 12(12), 1407 (1999)
  8. Liimatainen V, Techn L, Trans. Inst. Min. Metall., Sect. C: Miner. Process. Extr. Metall., 4, C160 (1977)
  9. Runolinna U, Rinne R, Int. Miner. Process. Cong., 447 (1960)
  10. Gutierrez C, Int. J. Miner. Process., 3, 247 (1976)
  11. Behera RC, Mohanty AK, Int. J. Miner. Process., 17, 131 (1986)
  12. Fan X, Rowson NA, Can. Metall. Q., 41, 133 (2002)
  13. Fan X, Kelly RM, Rowson NA, Can. Metall. Q., 39, 247 (2000)
  14. Vorster W, Rowson NA, Kingman SW, Int. J. Miner. Process., 63(1), 29 (2001)
  15. Whittles DN, Kingman SW, Reddish DJ, Int. J. Miner. Process., 64, 71 (2003)
  16. Kingman SW, Jackson K, Bradshaw SM, Rowson NA, Greenwood R, Powder Technol., 146(3), 176 (2004)
  17. Kingman SW, Jackson K, Cumbane A, Bradshaw SM, Rowson NA, Greenwood R, Int. J. Miner. Process., 74(1-4), 71 (2004)
  18. Sheng-hui G, Guo C, Jin-hui P, Jin C, Dong-bo L, Li-jun L, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 20, 2012 (2011)
  19. Kingman SW, Vorster W, Rowson NA, Miner. Eng., 13(3), 313 (2000)
  20. Jones DA, Kingman SW, Whittles DN, Lowndes IS, Miner. Eng., 18(7), 659 (2005)
  21. Scott G, Bradshaw SM, Eksteen JJ, Int. J. Miner. Process., 85(4), 121 (2008)
  22. Jones DA, Kingman SW, Whittles DN, Lowndes IS, Chem. Eng. Process., 46(4), 291 (2007)
  23. Haque KE, Int. J. Miner. Process., 57(1), 1 (1999)
  24. Waters KE, Rowson NA, Greenwood RW, Williams AJ, Sep. Purif. Technol., 56(1), 9 (2007)
  25. Barani K, Koleini SMJ, Rezaei B, Sep. Purif. Technol., 76, 331 (2010)
  26. Agacayak T, Sci. Res. Essays, 6, 1856 (2011)
  27. Ozbayoglu G, Depci T, Ataman N, Energy Sources Part A-Recovery Util. Environ. Eff., 31(6), 492 (2009)
  28. Xia WC, Yang JG, Liang C, Powder Technol., 233, 186 (2013)
  29. Xia WC, Yang JG, Liang C, Powder Technol., 237, 1 (2013)
  30. Xia WC, Yang JG, Zhu B, Energy Sources Part A-Recovery Util. Environ. Eff., 36(1), 23 (2014)
  31. Sahyoun C, Rowson NA, Kingman SW, Groves L, Bradshaw SM, J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall., 105(1), 7 (2005)
  32. Bayca SU, Sep. Purif. Technol., 105, 24 (2013)
  33. Chen G, Chen J, Peng JH, Wang RD, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 20, S198 (2010)
  34. Zhang ZB, Zhang ZY, Niu H, Peng JHL, Zhang B, Qu WW, Pan HJ, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 20, S182 (2010)
  35. Mehdilo A, Irannajad M, J. Miner. Mater. Charact. Eng., 9, 247 (2010)
  36. Mehdilo A, Irannajad M, Arab. J. Geosci., 6, 3865 (2013)
  37. Fuerstenau MC, Miller JD, Kuhn MC, Chemistry of Flotation, Society of Mining Engineers of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, New York, 1985.
  38. Irannajad M, Mehdilo A, Nuri OS, Sep. Purif. Technol., 132, 401 (2014)
  39. Mehdilo A, Irannajad M, Rezai B, Physicochem. Probl. Miner. Process., 50(2), 493 (2014)
  40. Yamashita T, Hayes P, Appl. Surf. Sci., 254(8), 2441 (2008)
  41. Thistlethwaite PJ, Hook MS, Langmuir, 16(11), 4993 (2000)
  42. Peck AS, Raby LH, Wadsworth ME, Trans. Am. Inst. Min., 235, 301 (1966)
  43. Yu-hua WANG, Fu-shun YU, J. China Univ. Min. Technol., 17, 35 (2007)
  44. Prakash S, Das B, Mohanty JK, Venugopal R, Int. J. Miner. Process., 57(2), 87 (1999)
  45. Somasundaran P, Wang D, Solution Chemistry: Minerals and Reagents, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2006.
  46. Kumar TVV, Prabhakar S, Raju GB, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 247(2), 275 (2002)
  47. Shibata J, Fuerstenau DW, Int. J. Miner. Process., 72(1-4), 25 (2003)
  48. Wang J, Cheng HW, Zhao HB, Qin WQ, Qiu GZ, Chin. J. Nonferrous Met., 24, 820 (2014)
  49. Fa KQ, Jiang T, Nalaskowski J, Miller JD, Langmuir, 20(13), 5311 (2004)
  50. Stuerga D, Gaillard P, Tetrahedron, 52, 5505 (1996)
  51. Sumnu G, Sahin S, Da-wen S, Recent Developments in Microwave Heating. Emerging Technologies for Food Processing, Academic Press, London, 2005.
  52. Metaxas AC, Meredith RJ, Industrial Microwave Heating, Peter Peregrinus LTD, The Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, United Kingdom, 1983.
  53. Zhong K, Cui L, Int. J. Miner. Process., 20, 253 (1987)