Petrogenetic peculiarities of Fe-Ti oxide minerals in the processes of crystallization and evolution of late Cretaceous volcanic complexes of the Lesser Caucasus

Drawing from the determined differences between iron-titanium oxide minerals, we analyzed the conditions of crystallization and evolution of late-Cretaceous magmatic complexes of the Lesser Caucasus. It was found that the rocks of basalt-andesibasalt complex, which correspond to the early substage (upper Coniacian-lower Santonian) of late-Cretaceous volcanism in the Qazakh, Agjakand, Agdara depressions, have crystallized in the conditions of relatively highly- thermobaric crystallization of titanomagnetite, poorly differentiated and evolutionized according to the Fenner trend. In the second substage of volcanism, due to decrease in permeability of the Earth’s crust, the elevation of the remaining magma to the upper horizons was hindered. Therefore, within the Qazakh depression, shallow intermediate sites of crystallization developed where moderately titaniferous magnetite crystallized with the participation of oxidized fluids earlier than hornblende, pyroxene and plagioclase. Thus, the remaining magma evolutionized its composition through Bowen’s reaction series. In the Agjakand and Agdara depressions, change of previous expansion to compaction was the cause of hindering of partly fractioned portion of the magma. The latter thermally interacted with the above-embedded maghemite, hematite and in a number of cases magnetite. In the Khojavand depression, rocks of trachibasalt- trachiodolerite complex, which characterize the late substage of the Santonian volcanism, contain moderately titanium magnetites and maghemites. In the second substage of volcano-plutonism, rocks of tephrite-teshenite complex developed. There, accompanied by oxidized fluids, highly-clayey titanomagnetite crystallized before chrome-diopside and salite. However, the ulvospinel titanomagnetite in teshenites, having associated with barkevikite and kaersutite, crystallized at a relatively higher temperature. Within the Senonian volcanites of the Azykh depression, along with the moderately-titanium magnetite, chromic titanomagnetite and rarely chromite was determined. Similar mineralogical diversities are also characteristic for the Gochas depression.

The complex processing of titanomagnetite concentrates of the Gremyakha-vyrmes deposit with extraction of vanadium and titanium

Titanomagnetites are a complex raw material with a high content of valuable components: iron (35–65 %), vanadium (0.5–1.5 %) and titanium (2–14 %). Today, titanium–magnetite concentrates are processed in two ways: blast furnace (Russia, China) and using electric smelting (South Africa). The blast–furnace method is applicable only for low–titanium titanomagnetites. In the case of using titanomagnetite concentrates with a titanium dioxide content of more than 4 %, the method of electric smelting with preliminary reduction is applicable. Both technologies aim to recover the two components iron and vanadium, while titanium is not recovered. In this regard, the development of a complex technology for processing titanomagnetite concentrate to obtain iron in granular form, vanadium pentoxide and titanium is urgent.

Effect of Humic Acid Binder on Oxidation Roasting of Vanadium–Titanium Magnetite Pellets via Straight-Grate Process

The oxidation roasting of vanadium–titanium magnetite (VTM) pellets with a new composite binder was investigated using a pilot-scale straight-grate. The evolution of the chemical and phase composition, the compressive strength, and the metallurgical properties of the fired VTM pellets were investigated. Under a preheating temperature of 950 ∘C, a preheating time of 18 min, a firing temperature of 1300 ∘C, and a firing time of 10 min, the compressive strength of the fired pellets was as high as 2344 N per pellet. The fired pellets mainly consisted of hematite, pseudobrookite, spinel and olivine. The total iron content of the fired pellets was 0.97% higher using 0.75 wt% humic acid (HA) binder instead of 1.5 wt% bentonite binder. These properties are beneficial for the production efficiency and energy efficiency of their subsequent use in blast furnaces. Moreover, both the softening interval and the softening melting interval of the HA binder pellets were narrower than those of the bentonite binder pellets, conducive to the smooth and successful smelting of the VTM pellets in a blast furnace.

A mathematical model of metallization of titanium-magnetite ores of Kachkanar deposit in Midrex shaft furnace

Development of a technology for obtaining direct reduction iron from titanium-magnetite ores, which will be the main ore base of the Ural ferrous metallurgy in the future, is one of the urgent tasks of metallurgical science. The world and domestic experience of the development of direct iron reduction processes, which are the most environmentally friendly of all existing methods of obtaining iron from ore considered. It was shown that the technology of metallization of iron ore materials in the Midrex shaft furnace has received the most widespread application. It is noted that the accumulated experience of using Midrex technology in Russian Federation will allow increasing the production of metallurgical raw materials with a reduced carbon footprint. An algorithm and a block diagram for calculating technical and economic indicators of the metallization process for the Midrex process shaft furnace are described. A methodology for calculating material and thermal balance of the Midrex process has been developed, taking into account the use of iron ore raw materials containing vanadium and titanium in the charge. On its basis, an algorithm was developed and a mathematical model of the metallization process was implemented, calculations of the metallization process of titanium-magnetite pellets obtained from the ores of the Kachkanar deposit in the Midrex mine furnace were performed. A comparison of the indicators of the metallization process of titanomagnetite pellets carried out in the shaft furnace of JSC “OEMK named after A.A. Ugarov” and obtained using the created software product showed satisfactory convergence of the results.