Environmental problems of finely dispersed titanium dioxide production

Finely dispersed titanium dioxide is widely used in modern technologies. Proved reserves of titanium ores in Russia are expected to meet industrial needs. However, the available facilities for the manufacture of titanium dioxide from ores are clearly insufficient, which naturally requires new plants to be put into operation. The technologies used for the production of titanium dioxide were developed as early as 1940s, when ecological aspects of the production process were almost not taken into account. The present survey analyzes environmental problems related to the titanium dioxide production according to the sulfate and chloride technologies in comparison with the fluoride process proposed for industrial implementation. The fluoride process has been examined as applied to ilmenite from the Turan deposit in Tomsk oblast, and some actions directed toward improvement of ecological parameters of this process have been proposed.