Application of high energy ball milling in mineral materials: Extraction of TiO2 from mineral FeTiO3

A systematic study of extraction of rutile (TiO 2 ) from ilmenite (FeTiO 3 ) by using a high energy ball milling technique has been carried out. It was found that rutile can be obtained by either ball milling of ilmenite with elemental sulphur or other additives during which mechanochemical reactions occur at room temperature, or by ball milling of a mixture of ilmenite with carbon, whereby carbothermic reduction takes place during a subsequent low temperature annealing treatment. In the latter case, the enhancing effect of ball milling results from the intimate mixing and large contact area between ilmenite and carbon particles.