Solid-Phase Prereduction of Iron-Vanadium Concentrates and Liquid-Phase Separation of the Products of Their Reduction

The transformations that occur in ore grains during solid-phase carbon reduction of the metals from the iron-vanadium concentrates formed upon the beneficiation of the titanomagnetite ores from Southern Ural deposits are studied. Upon heating to 1000 degrees C, the solid solution in titanomagnetite grains decomposes with the formation of magnetite and ilmenite; the reduction of iron begins in the temperature range 1080-1110 degrees C, and the reduction of titanium begins at above 1215 degrees C. The reaction mixture should be held at 1250 degrees C for 45 min to ensure almost complete iron reduction and the minimum degree of titanium reduction. For rapid separation melting, this procedure results in vanadium-containing cast iron (0.43-0.5% V) with < 0.15% Ti and a slag with 42-43% titanium oxides.