METALLOTHERMIC REDUCTION OF RED MUD

Abstract

Study has been made on the production of a ferro-alloy which is basically ferro-titanium by the open alu- minothermic.reduction of red mud; 7 variables namely amount of reductant, particle size of reductant, scale of production, particle size of red mud, amount of lime,amount of booster and time of preheating, were taken into account and related with the yield or recovery of alloy and its cons-tituent, metals. In addition to this one more parameter namely height/diameter ratio, which described the reactor (crucible) geometry was realised significantly while experi-menting the effect of scale of production. Moreover by enriching the red mud with respect to Ti02 attempts have been made to produce a Ti-rich.ferro titanium. It has been interpreted that excess amount of reduc-tant is very necessary for the success of a metallothermic reduction; The particle size of red mud and reductant should be neither too coarse nor too fine; the size of A.1-powder should be smaller than that of red mud. In any case we can not -go beyond a certain scale of production for the given reactor Jer.n geometry. Addition of lime is beneficial to give a more c.clean metal but of little profit from the recovery point of view. In every case need of extra heat supply was felt which made pre-heating of the charge necessary. Rest of the heat supply can be compensated from the addition of some booster materials. Reduction after enrichment of red mud is not very beneficial from the economic point of view.