Optimization of microwave heating parameter for TiO2 extraction process from iron sand Indonesia

Microwave heating is environment-friendly technology which is able to reduce titanomagnetite into TiO2 or titanium metal caused by CO2 gas does not vacate the furnace. Titanomagnetite is one of the phases contained in Iron Ore with small amount of titanium (less than 10% Ti). This study aims to get a value of optimal parameter on microwave heating for TiO2 extraction with different power levels and reductor composition. The method used consists of a magnetic separation, oxidation, reduction process using Microwave Batch Furnace reactor, and hydrochloric acid leaching. Titanomagnetite that oxidized at 1100°C temperature for 4 hours in muffle furnace have phase changed into hemoilmenite (pseudorutile + hematite) with power level is 650 Watt. As the antenna helix added on to design of Microwave Batch Furnace, gain from the heat irradiation become higher to ∼34.7 dB. The power level used is 650 watt on variety graphite : iron ore composition are 3.05: 0.6, 3.05 : 1, and 3. 05: 1.4, thus the best reduction product is processed further by leaching in 20% chlorid acid with 1:6 (S/L ratio). X-Ray Diffraction and X-Ray Fluorense test is used to determine the effect of oxidation, reduction, and leaching process on Iron Ore. Results show that graphite has effect to TiO2 separation from titanomagnetite phase. As the addition of graphite increases, yield process that represented by recovery TiO2 becomes higher to 4.6% Ti. Microwave adsorption confirmed by using Vector Network Analyse. The amount of microwaves adsorption that represented from S-parameter has increased with the addition of graphite to level 3.05:1. The optimal parameter is resulted in 3.05:1 composition ratio and used 4000 watt power.