Preparation of titania-rich slag by plasma smelting of ilmenite

Ilmenite concentrates obtained from beach sand in the eastern coast of Indi a have been treated by plasma smelting to produce TiO2 containing slag and pig iron. Petroleum coke has been used as the reductant and parameters such as amount of reductant, effect of power input and slag characteristics hav e been varied. In some cases, the slag was flowable but in other cases, it was not. Characterisation of the slag by physical methods have been tried. The presence of suboxides of titanium (Ti2O3) hindered the flowabilty.