Ultrasound intensified production of titanium phosphate from mine waste streams

Purpose and goal

This feasibility study aim to develop a sustainable leaching process using hydrodynamic and acoustic cavitation (HAC) and redox potential control for leaching of titanium rich concentrate of mine waste to produce titanium phosphate (TiP1). The project is a collaboration between engineering acoustics, mineral processing, process metallurgy and surface chemistry at LTU, and LKAB. The goal is to define the prerequisites for a process including characterization of the mine waste; beneficiation of concentrate, redox potential control, HAC leaching and synthesis of TiP-1.

Expected results and effects

-Three project meetings -Research report and SMI presentation -Full scale innovation project application -Scientific article describing the full process -Characterization of mineral composition in tailings -Review and assessment of possible flotation regimes -A defined HAC-process for efficient and sustainable leaching -Characterization of the yield quality and energy efficiency -Comparing the HAC and conventional leaching under atmospheric conditions -Defined process protocol -Characterized TiP quality -Evaluation of the process sustainability and by-products

Planned approach and implementation

Coordinated activities regarding: Sampling from concentrator plant (3 different tailings streams) Conduct of mineralogical and particle analyses Review of feasible flotation processes and reagent regimes for potential enrichment of titanium bearing minerals Indicative flotation tests for selected samples and assessment of mineralogical response Adaption of available HAC reactor to proposed leaching condition and make verification tests Confirming chemical identity of TiP1 using powder XRD and solid state P MAS NMR following established protocols and knowledge