Agglomeration of titania

1. A process for the agglomeration of titania slag particles comprising:

providing titania slag at a d 50 particle size of below 106 μm;

mixing the slag particles with an organic binder; and

agglomerating the mixture of the slag particles and organic binder into agglomerated particles with a d 50 particle size in the range from 106 μm to 1000 μm, and the agglomerated particles having a (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio of more than 3.4.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the titania slag has a TiO 2 content above 75% (by mass).

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the slag is slag derived from beach sand ilmenite.

4. The process of claim 1 , further comprising sizing the titania slag to a d 50 particle size below 106 μm.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the sizing is by means of milling.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the slag has a d 50 particle size of smaller than 40 μm.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic binder is selected from a cellulose product; a dairy waste product; a natural gum; a starch product; a starch acrylic copolymer; a wood related product and a mixture of one or more thereof.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the binder is gelled corn starch.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the titania slag and the gelled corn starch are mixed to contain 1 to 5% (by mass) of the gelled corn starch.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the agglomerating comprises pelletizing.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the d 50 particle size of the aggolomerated particles is in the range of 150 μm to 1000 μm.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio is above 4.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio is at least 20.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio is above 40.

15. The process of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the agglomerated particles formed to heat treatment.

16. Agglomerated titania slag particles having agglomerated particles with a d 50 particle size in the range of 106 μm to 1000 μm, and the agglomerated particles having a (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio of more than 3.4.

17. A process using agglomerated titania slag particles comprising:

providing agglomerated titania slag particles having a d 50 particle size in the range of 106 μm to 1000 μm, and the agglomerated particles having a (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio of more than 3.4;

feeding the agglomerated titania slag particles with a reductant and chlorine gas into a fluidized bed reactor to produce gaseous titanium tetrachloride;

condensing the gaseous titanium tetrachloride; and

oxidizing the condensed titanium tetrachloride to form TiO 2 .

18. The process of claim 17 , further comprising:

forming the agglomerated titania slag particles by:

providing titania slag at a d 50 particle size of below 106 μm;

mixing the slag particles with an organic binder; and

agglomerating the mixture of the slag particles and organic binder into agglomerated particles with a d 50 particle size in the range from 106 μm to 1000 μm, and the agglomerated particles having a (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio of more than 3.4.

19. The process of claim 17 wherein the d 50 particle size of the aggolomerated particles is in the range of 150 μm to 1000 μm.

20. The process of claim 17 wherein the (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio is above 4.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein the (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio is at least 20.

22. The process of claim 21 wherein the (TiO 2 and FeO)/C mass ratio is above 40.

23. The process of claim 18 wherein the titania slag has a TiO 2 content above 75% (by mass).

24. The process of claim 18 wherein the titania slag has a d 50 particle size of smaller than 40 μm.

25. The process of claim 18 , further comprising subjecting the agglomerated particles formed to heat treatment.