Titanite processing by hydrobromic acid leaching and carbochlorination

Two stage processing - acid leaching and carbochlorination - is proposed for titanium extraction from titanite (CaTiSiO5). Calcium oxide and 40-60 wt.% of titanium oxide in titanite were dissolved by leaching in recyclable hydrobromic acid. Titanium dioxide of 99.5 wt.% purity was obtained by thermal hydrolysis of titanium containing acid solution. On the second stage, solid leaching residue was carbochlorinated at 1100 °С in a rotary tube furnace to produce titanium tetrachloride. An overall titanium extraction of 93.7% was obtained. Pyrohydrolysis of CaBr2 at 1100-1200 °С was used for the hydrobromic acid recycling.