Titanium dioxide (titanium dioxide) is a white powder with a high degree of transparency, brilliant white, good coverage and the ability to change color against. These characteristics make a valuable and opacifier pigment widely used in paints, plastics, ink and paper.

The pigment is processed and manufactured to contain naturally occurring rutile or titanium mineral ilmenite. Rutile is a kind of impurity in the form of titanium dioxide and ilmenite contains titanium and iron oxide combined with the compound. Although common in parts of the world, they are most likely to be used, Australia, the United States, India and South Africa.

In Australia almost all of titanium dioxide from ilmenite, as it occurs naturally in high concentrations and can form, ready to allow extraction of rutile. These favorable factors ilmenite competitive producer of the raw materials Australia exports reflected in the high activity.

Energy use of low-cost regions slagging.

Australia supplies about 40 percent of the world's ilmenite, about 25 percent of rutile. On the contrary, it has the advantages of titanium minerals, Australia supplies about three per cent share of world titanium dioxide production of about 40,000 tons. This huge imbalance means that the opportunity to further increase the value.

In 1995, Western Australia produced 1,600,000 tons of titanium dioxide is about the value of 350,000,000 U.S. dollars.

To June 1998, Australia is expected to export 11,000,000,000 for the titanium minerals, of which two-thirds of exports to Europe and North America.
Science and Technology

Production of titanium dioxide pigments, whether chlorine or sulfuric acid process (Australia only the use of chlorine in the process). The technology is a process closely held Chlorination Ticor Keermaiji is authorized under the brand also sells its pigments.

     Sulfuric acid process

     Kraft is the first commercial-scale process technology for conversion of ilmenite for titanium dioxide. A large amount of waste iron sulfate production and a poor-quality products, most of the applications, the process of a number of sulfuric acid plant under construction. In 1996, Tioxide, a sulfuric acid plant on the basis of Bernie, Tasmania, 1473, approximately 40 years of operating the use of ilmenite shipments from Western Australia and sulfuric acid from the local metal smelting operations in the Tasmania. The plant produced a large number of scrap iron sulfate. Sulfuric acid in the production process as a form of pigment known as the sharp, which is better than chlorine-derived pigments can be used for paper, ink and ceramics.
     Bullets in the place of cheap electricity, such as South Africa (coal) and Norway (hydropower), which can be slagged ilmenite and rutile production of iron. In Australia, Becher in the process of iron oxide waste generated This is a re-adjustment of the mine site.
     Chlorination process

     The new chlorination process to avoid the problem of waste iron sulfate, and on a larger scale, less expensive operation. This process needs to be dealt with ilmenite in the form of rutile (that is, the removal of iron component of the oil production of titanium dioxide [synthetic rutile]) and thorough process in Western Australia. Under normal circumstances, 1.06 tons of man-made rutile is a requirement for each ton of pigment.

     Chlorine process, because now dedicated in Australia, the response of man-made chlorine and rutile form of titanium tetrachloride and then oxidized to stay volatile ferric chloride and other impurities, chlorine, mostly re-cycling. Chlorine consumption, therefore, the amount of iron oxide (alumina) to stay in man-made rutile is usually 4 percentage points. Ferric chloride is harmful to the environment it is a lime into the iron oxide and calcium chloride discharge into the sea.

     About one tonne of chlorine are required to produce 5-6 tons of titanium dioxide (as the iron content of rutile for the consumption of chlorine and ferric chloride about one-third of the end of the chlorine as hydrogen chloride). Tiwest now supply hydrochloric acid to libraries Kyrgyzstan converted to ammonium chloride (used in the production of synthetic rutile).

         The use of rutile (ilmenite, not iron), chlorination plant to avoid the production of a greater amount of ferric chloride has been closed for disposal (for example, by the deep well used to dispose of DuPont of the United States).

     After the removal of salt, vanadium, and further fractionation, pure titanium tetrachloride with the reaction of oxygen, resulting in a high temperature titanium dioxide. In the titanium dioxide coating and the ground is a different level. The liberation of chlorine recovery. In other words, the consumption of chlorine larely ferric chloride is converted to hydrogen oxide lime treatment. The resulting calcium chloride and iron oxide can be safely disposed of.

     Around the world to have a significant swing in the use of chlorine and some new sulfuric acid plant is being established. Chlorination process products with a more stringent control, reduce labor-intensive, and environmental safety. There are about 60 percent of about 4,000,000 tons of the pigment production worldwide production of chlorine produced by the process. While declining to respond to worry about the environment unacceptable waste, many of the sulfuric acid plant to postpone the introduction of innovative technologies close. This status will help lower the price of synthetic rutile.

     Chlorination plant needs a high-grade rutile. In the lower grades of ilmenite (titanium 52-57 percent) is Western Australia's exports of titanium minerals producer oveseas sulfuric acid-based plants and electric arc furnace. Producers of low-grade ilmenite can not be converted into synthetic rutile in the current economic status in the world of low-cost slagged ilmenite (nucleide zero).

         Nucleide the problem is that monazite ore containing six per cent of the radioactive element usually contains thorium (and some of the uranium. In 1990, about 130,000 tons of production monazite, but dropped to zero due to competition nucleide free sources, such as China. Interested in dealing with monazite in the Rhone-Poulenc pinjarra.

Industry

About 40 percent of the national production of ilmenite (about 80 U.S. dollars per ton) is converted to synthetic rutile (470 U.S. dollars per ton) and 40 percent, only about 30 percent into paint (worth about 2 000 U.S. dollars per ton). In other words, the pigment production may be increased by 8 times!

There are two manufacturers of titanium dioxide pigment in Western Australia, the International Millennium Chemicals (military, the former Chemical Co., Ltd. Supply Chain Management) in Kemerton, Western Australia andTiwest joint venture in Kwinana, Western Australia.

Rutile and ilmenite - Australia's production and potential profile

Rutile

Rutile titanium dioxide is that this is naturally occurring in Australia, the United States, India and South Africa. Synthetic rutile can be produced naturally occurring ilmenite This is a complex of iron oxide. Rutile is used in the production of titanium dioxide.

In Australia the most rutile from ilmenite, as it occurs naturally in high concentrations and can form, ready to allow extraction of rutile. These favorable factors ilmenite competitive producer of the raw materials Australia exports reflected in the high activity. Australia supplies about 40 percent of the world's ilmenite, about 25 percent of rutile.

7 producers around the world to control 93 percent of world production.

Rutile in 1999, the value of 750 U.S. dollars per ton (zircon about 560 U.S. dollars per ton), ilmenite, about 120 U.S. dollars per ton.

World cotton production of titanium dioxide for 44,000 tons (an increase of 8 1997%)
Murray Basin

Ilmenite is in the Murray Basin and the Wimmera (including 600 000 square kilometers in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia from Broken Hill to Mark from the Horsham to Bendigo.'s High-grade deposit, Vulnerable to exploitation and processing.'s Potential output may 3000000-4000000 t around.
Cartridges Wemen deposits between Swan Hill and Mildura are being considered by the metal in the western (and aberfoyle RZM) of the scale of production 230,000 tons annually 100,000 tons of rutile and zircon. It contains 9,200,000 tons in the determination of 4.4 percent of titanium minerals, of which 28 percent are high-grade rutile, zircon is 12% and 44% ilmenite.
The deposits of silver bullet 5-10 tons, the test four per cent of titanium minerals.
Kulwin bullet contains 4,300,000 tons of rutile and zircon 2,600,000 tons.

  
Heavy minerals company (10,000 tons)
Murray Basin Titanium 15
Mineral Basin 24
Bemax resources 28
According to Lukashenko resources 11
Southern Titanium 6
Auspac resources 27

Most of the mineral zircon and rutile, rather than its cheaper cousin, ilmenite.
Crayfish bullets as 1200 meters of mineralization and the thickness of 10-20 meters, 2 to 3 percent of the mineral.
Snapper bullets have a wide 200-300 meters drilling a grade of 15% heavy minerals.

Five landmines to be operating in 2002 near Mildura. By 2010, the region could become the world's largest single source of titanium minerals mine Beenup the closure of BHP Billiton in Western Australia and coal as a result of the civil war in Sierra Leone.

      Bemax

      Bemax (75% ownership of the partnership between the Probo Mining) is a region 130 kilometers north of Mildura in the Murray Basin in the ginkgo New South Wales. Deposit contains 184,000,000 tons, 3.2 percent; with a high proportion of ilmenite to rutile is worth about 250 U.S. dollars compared with 160 yuan per ton for ton of ilmenite in Western Australia. The product will be trucked to the concentration of Broken Hill. And railings to Port Pirie for export.
     Southern Titanium

      July 2001: titanium in the southern United tender called for construction of treatment facilities at its Mindarie mineral sands project of the Murray Basin region of South Australia state.

     Mindarie annual output from the project for the upgrading of the 38,800 tons of zircon ceramics class, 6400 tons of quality rutile, 74,000,000 tons of rutile type standard, 7100 tons leucoxene and 86,000 tons of ilmenite. From the expected recovery rate of minerals in a row circuit operation is expected to be 65 percent zircon, rutile and ilmenite 52% 78%. Mindarie current total reserves of 440,000 tons, grading 3.86 per cent heavy minerals (His Majesty), in which 1,700,000 tons dense medium. The project's total resources are currently 262,400,000 tons grading 2.33 percent Majesty, with 6,100,000 tons of His Majesty.

     Perth's goal is to become a reliable energy supplier Grade ceramic zircon in the world of ceramic industrial and high-quality supply of rutile titanium in the world market. As a minor activity in the south of titanium will provide low-tonnage standard of rutile, ilmenite and leucoxene the world market. Zircon income from the production and marketing of high-titanium mineral production and sales will rise to about 84 projects total revenue. The remainder of the revenue stream will be involved in the production and marketing of ilmenite.
      Austpac

      In August 2001, AUSTPAC Resources Ltd., and Ticor announced a survey to establish a synthetic rutile facility upgrade from the Murray Basin ilmenite. The study is being carried out under 50-50 Austpac - Ticor joint ventures, the implementation in July 2000, the worldwide application of Austpac the ERMS and ears of the technology. The estimated cost of the facility were not disclosed. Ticor said Wemen is the first time the production of heavy mineral deposits in the Murray Basin, there are several companies to conduct a feasibility study of the definition of other resources. The use ERMS plant will process and ears in order to enhance the preferred raw material ilmenite chlorination line of titanium dioxide (2) paint manufacturer. Ticor said Austpac has been confirmed through the pilot plant in Newcastle, which is suitable for the process of upgrading the facilities of the Murray Basin, in general, are not subject to traditional Becher synthetic rutile technology. Murray Basin ilmenite ore also contains high concentrations of chromium, an impurity, which is an obstacle to the marketing of ilmenite. A ERMS / ear facilities have the flexibility to eliminate the production of chromite and ilmenite sales, as well as high-grade synthetic rutile exports. The study will examine possible locations of the factories in the broader Murray Basin region, means the supply of raw materials (including ilmenite, coal or other energy, water), infrastructure and government incentives.
     Technology

      Auspac (ear process), which is roasted ilmenite conversion of rutile titanium composition of the iron to form insoluble components of the leaching conditions. The product is then quickly leaching at atmospheric pressure in hydrochloric acid to remove iron, so that the former rutile crystal ilmenite grain. This "synthesis" of rutile (usually 96-98 percent of titanium dioxide), and then washing, filtering and heating (burning) to sell. Ferric chloride leaching solution to deal with the acid regeneration and iron oxide particles, can be sold (such as steel or cement industries).

     The process
     Bullets have a very high-grade products in the world constantly,
     Iron and steel production and sale of ammunition products (instead of iron oxide waste mud and other man-made process of rutile),

     Bullets are less capital-intensive than most other processes,

     The use of renewable sources of all the bullets acid leaching, the production of acid (normally 25% Watt / w in hydrochloric acid, and the other 18% of the process Watt / w hydrochloride).

Synthetic rutile production

Manufacture of synthetic rutile are:

     Lukashenko resources in accordance with (the original Westralian Sands Ltd.) in the vicinity of the ban伯里卡佩尔capacity of 300 and 000 tons from May 1997. The company confirmed in August 1999, it moved up to early October, before the closure of the RGC's mines and man-made rutile plant Capel, Western Australia (dependent on the vicinity of the mine before the Westralian Sands); The company is also expected to be This will be announced soon began to dry their Pharoah's flat-mining deposits near Eneabba, Western Australia.

         Pig iron
          In October 1997, according to Lukashenko resources (the original Westralian Sands) announced that 18.5 m U.S. dollars of investment in the pilot pig iron plant in phase 2 (commissioned in 2000), will produce 1,000,000 tons of pig iron worth 150 U.S. dollars per ton (With a sale of 17,000,000 U.S. dollars and a profit of 2,800,000 U.S. dollars). This process involved in iron oxide compressed into briquettes into pig iron smelting. As the iron oxide is a very good and can not deal with the blast. Westralian Sands developed a patented process, together with lime and iron oxide carbon coal to deal with blast furnace. Although the high cost of energy-intensive operations, Westralian Sands to avoid environmentally sensitive disposal of iron oxide (see rutile).

         The company also operates a lime plant in Dongara in Western Australia.

Lukashenko resources in accordance with bullets (formerly Renison Gold Fields (RGC)) Capel in the (near Xiamen) and Geraldton (Narngulu) in the production of natural rutile (in October 1998, the Council closed the Enneabba its rutile plant Narngalu in favor of the operation, but also to reduce production 25 percent Fiorina has a record operating loss of 320 U.S. dollars.

         The total man-made rutile production capacity of about 2,000,000 tons.
         Eneaba the dredging operations, including mine, and mine dry, wet, and two focused on the output rails to Narngulu. The company's total employment of 400 people.

         According to Lukashenko also be interested in the Murray Basin, but it does not count on mining until 2005.

     Merger
      In July 1998, it announced that the titanium minerals such as the RGC's operations will be merged Westralian Sands (62:38 respectively) in order to trade for resources in accordance with Lukashenko. Restructuring process will be an annual savings of 100,000,000 U.S. dollars of operating costs. The new merger will produce 1,300,000 tons of ilmenite, zircon 3,750,000 tons and 4,750,000 tons of man-made rutile. The new business will supply 32 percent of titanium dioxide in the world market and 37 percent of production and zircon only slightly less than Richards Bay. Hansen will be the largest shareholder, the United Kingdom with 24 percent of the Trust (which is the largest shareholder, the RGC). In January 1999, the combined production of 249,390 tons of the report, the man-made 499,077 tons of rutile and ilmenite (including for the production of synthetic rutile).

TheTiwest joint venture (Cooljarloo the original joint venture) was established in 1990 as a joint venture of the Minproc and Keermaiji. Tiwest operation of the primary processing plant Chandala crude oil production of titanium dioxide (synthetic rutile) from ilmenite from their mines Cooljarloo (near Eneabba) some 180 km north of Perth.

The use of surgery in the process of conversion Hot Becher 3,300,000 tons ilmenite 1,900,000 tons of man-made rutile (titanium dioxide Jiushisier percent). Iron oxide waste by-product is returned to the mine site. About half of the 65 000 tons of synthetic rutile pigment used in the production of the technology on the basis of Keermaiji 100 000 tons of U.S. factories.
Tiwest synthetic rutile plant Chandala
Tiwest plant Chandala.

Kwinana plant process about half of the rutile production of the pigment production Chandala about 600,000 tons per year of titanium dioxide pigment. The remaining man-made rutile, all of the major natural rutile sold part of its owners (Keermaiji) in the United States.

Tiwest forecast 40% growth in profit for the 2000 calendar year;, the company will increase the heavy mineral concentrate (HMC's) production Cooljarloo, Western Australia, at least 35% of the capacity of its synthetic rutile plant Chandala match.

Ticor Ltd. is expected to be about 140 U.S. dollars mill financing from the sale of its non-core businesses of coal and sodium cyanide, so that it can become a pure ore production and consolidate its status (currently the number 3) in the India / Pacific region (in 1999 September).

Ticor is an effective arm of the South Africanmetals titanium giant Iscor. Australia have 40 percent of the company Ticor. By 2005, plans to Ticor's third largest producer of titanium minerals, second only to Rio Tinto and in accordance with Lukashenko. In 2001, Ticor to buy a 40 percent interest in the project IHM heavy minerals in KwaZulu Natal from Iscor planning 600,000 tons of heavy minerals are 1,500,000 tons of ilmenite and ilmenite 5,500,000 tons in the test run in 2001. By 2003-year plan for the production of Titanium dioxide.
Ilmenite

In 1995, Western Australia production of 1,000,000 tons, of which about half of ilmenite into (the process of Becher) 04,500 tons, synthetic rutile. About 125 000 tons of natural rutile also produced. Only one-eighth of the production of titanium minerals used in the manufacture of the State of the pigment titanium dioxide, most of the raw materials for export to overseas plant pigment.

At present, low-grade ilmenite (titanium 52-57 per cent) of exports for the conversion of Western Australia rutile titanium minerals production of sulfuric acid-based electric arc plant residue.
Bullet Tiwest joint venture (130 000 tons).
Cable Sands attention to the bullets, running in the near Banbury Jangardup ilmenite sales in Western Australia manufacturer of synthetic rutile.

     Technology

     Becher of the process to reduce the iron oxide contained in the ilmenite metal iron, and then re-oxidises it and iron oxide in the process, separated as a man-made rutile titanium dioxide of about 91-93 per cent purity. This process involves high-temperature furnace heating ilmenite and coal and sulfur. After screening, they will reduce the mud ilmenite (a mixture of iron and titanium dioxide) in the air and water oxidation can be separated from sedimentation tanks. Low value-added iron oxide (that is, at least 40 percent of the ilmenite) is a return to the mine site, such as waste and land fill.

      In October 1997, when the U.S. announced that Westralian Sands 18.5 m investment in the pig iron plant, commissioned in phase 2 in 2000, will produce 1,000,000 tons of pig iron worth 150 U.S. dollars per ton. (17,000,000 U.S. dollars of sales of pre-tax profit rate of A 280 million). This process involved in iron oxide compressed into briquettes into pig iron smelting.

     The resulting man-made rutile is the acid wash to remove other metal oxides, and then converted to the sale of dried pigment ..

     Coal
     Coal is used as a reducing agent in the production of ilmenite. Western Australia produces about 6,000,000 tons per year of which 75 percent is used in three power plants, is spending the rest of alumina, nickel, ores, cement and other industries. Shepherd of coal to provide this non-coking and low ash and sulfur. Sub-bituminous coal, the only specific energy 20GJ/tonne, but among the ranks of Victoria's brown coal and black coal in Queensland and New South Wales. High water content and tend to spontaneous combustion, which is limiting export potential. However, its medium-term fluctuations, it is valuable for the production of synthetic rutile.

     Power
     About 320 kWatt hours of electricity needs, producing a ton of synthetic rutile. In the name of the industrial A cost 0.06 U.S. dollars per share kWatt hours, which accounts for about four per cent of the value of the synthetic rutile production.
     Power bullets in Australia has been identified as the cheapest in the world. However, the cost in Western Australia rule out the possibility that the iron smelter production of billet, rather than the current practice, the return of the iron oxide waste product of the Becher process to return to mining areas. The world's lower-cost production areas of hydroelectric power generation in the area of Norway and cheap coal-fired power plants in South Africa.

     Lukashenko said that according to the resources (August 1999), will be the end of the dredger mining operations in Eneabba, Western Australia in 1999 to the end of the year, Eneabba West ore body was mined-out, but will continue to produce a single stem from the coal mine for a year And to open a second mine dry at the end of 2000 the level of brandy / warehouse Hill deposit; rutile and zircon production will be reduced compared to the mid-1990s, about 75 KT and 150-180 million tons / year, respectively. The company reported a profit in the first half of 2 870 mill on the basis of 383 U.S. dollars mill sales and savings in the future marked the closure of mines in South Africa Capel (and Eneabba), and to further rationalize its synthetic rutile production emphasis In a production plant and the North Capel Narngulu.

     According to Lukashenko resources 3 is embarking on a two-pronged strategy - the company will spend 3 0 dollar E neabba mill, the conversion of Western Australia all action to stem the exploitation; takes 1 mill 00 U.S. dollars in the United States to double production in Virginia And in Florida, and spent 8 0 U.S. dollars for developing countries Green Mill mine in the area of emerging Murray Basin Province, will invest about 2005. In the 220 000 tons, will represent 27 percent of world production of 8,000,000 tons ilmenite. (To be confirmed !!!!!)

     Overseas
     Some plants overseas ilmenite directly with the conversion and disposal of chlorine produced by ferric chloride in deepfill Web site.

     Low-cost electricity in the region (such as Canada, South Africa and Norway) electric furnace is used to produce titanium dioxide slag and iron-rich, rather than return to the mine waste in the Becher process, the sale of pig iron. The electric line is very competitive, is seen as depressing the price of synthetic rutile.

Technology Auspac

Ticor have all three of titanium dioxide production technology planning Auspac the use of technology in India (Java technology in South Africa; Toru in Western Australia).

WMC Resources of South Africa's partners in the South Mining Company is evaluating Mozambique.

Outlook
Synthetic rutile prices have been falling from the swing-sulfuric acid plant has been lower than forecast, and through the low-cost competition from South Africa grade rutile chloride slag producers. This pressure is reflected in the prices of man-made rutile and ilmenite.

At present, overseas plant pigment increase of about 16 billion U.S. dollars, or about 3 times the value added in Western Australia State of titanium minerals. It is worth mentioning that, although Australia also produce about 26 percent, the world's production of titanium minerals, which produce only 4 percent of world production of titanium dioxide pigment!

A significant impact on the natural rutile is the prospect of the current closure of the mine in Sierra Leone has become the world's largest.

Western Australia

Beenup

Beenup the ore deposit (17 km east of Augusta in the south-west of Western Australia contains about 800,000 tons of ilmenite. Ilmenite contained only about 50 percent of titanium dioxide, and about as much as by Sixty-two as other parts of the country's minefields.

The deposit is being developed by BHP Billiton mining company as a joint venture iron Tinfos Titan of Norway. About 600 000 tonnes of ilmenite (and 20 000 tonnes of zircon) will be exported (about half of a joint venture rutile smelting-class sales and the balance to sulfuric acid plant).

Producers of low-grade ilmenite can not be converted into synthetic rutile in the current economic status in the world of low-cost slagged ilmenite (nucleide zero).

     Nucleide the problem is that monazite ore containing six per cent of the radioactive element usually contains thorium (and some of the uranium. In 1990, about 130,000 tons of production monazite, but dropped to zero due to competition nucleide free sources, such as China. Interested in dealing with monazite in the Rhone-Poulenc pinjarra.

Technical problems (lack of resolve, the need for highly abrasive ore tailings dam and the promotion of premature equipment failure), the production of about 40 percent. In March 1999, BHP Billiton announced the closure of operations, will begin a soil remediation plan. Analysts speculated that it might eventually re-opened. BHP Billiton also sell its joint venture in Mozambique and its assets in the vicinity of Newcastle, New South Wales.