Kinetics study and reaction mechanism for titanium dissolution from rutile ores and concentrates using sulfuric acid solutions

Recent developments of acid leaching of titanium concentrates and ores have produced renewed industrial and commercial interest. However, the leaching kinetics and mechanism of these concentrates and ores had received little attention. This work, therefore, addresses the leaching kinetics and mechanism of Ti from a rutile concentrate in sulfuric acid solution. The leaching reaction was controlled by diverse parameters like temperature, particle size, acid concentration, liquid/solid (L/S) ratio, and stirring speed. The leaching kinetics was investigated using the Shrinking Core Model in order to determine the optimum criteria which control the reaction. The kinetics analysis showed that the rate of dissolution of Ti increased by increasing reaction temperature, L/S ratio, and stirring speed, while it decreased upon increasing particle size. The kinetics analysis revealed that the dissolution reaction is controlled by the chemical reaction at the rutile particle surface. Applying the Arrhenius relation, the apparent energy of activation Ea for the leaching reaction was calculated to be 23.4kJ/mol. A semi-empirical overall rate equation was introduced to describe the combined effects of the process variables upon the rate of the dissolution reaction: 〖1-(1-x)〗^(1/3)=k_0 〖 C〗_([H2SO4])^0.803 〖 (dp)〗^(-0.518) 〖(L/S)〗^0.793 〖(w)〗^0.668 e^((-23400/RT)) t