Influence of rutile and ilmenite composition on vanadium content in titanium tetrachloride

Purpose. Determination of the composition of the charge formed from ilmenite and rutile concentrates to ensure the full use of the natural resource and optimize the production of innovative sponge titanium with the Ti-6Al-4V alloying system from raw minerals of Ukrainian deposits. Methodology. Samples of rutile and ilmenite concentrate were processed using the developed technology to obtain TiCl4, which additionally contains vanadium, and as a result, a mixture TiCl4 + VCl4 was obtained. Findings. It was determined that rutile and ilmenite concentrates from the Malyshev and Birzulovsky deposits are most suitable for obtaining TiCl4 containing vanadium in a given concentration. Originality. For the first time, algorithms for obtaining a controlled amount of vanadium in titanium tetrachloride, which is used to produce sponge titanium alloyed with vanadium and aluminum, have been defined and analyzed. Practical value. It has been shown that titanium dioxide and titanium-iron compounds (FeTiO3) concentrates from operating Ukrainian deposits are suitable for both traditional technologies for producing sponge titanium and for the innovative technology of producing already alloyed sponge titanium from them, which can be used as a finished raw material for smelting the Grade 23 alloy (Ti-6Al-4V).