Synthetic rutile Becher process

SREP [Synthetic Rutile Enhancement Process] An improved version of the Becher process for upgrading titanium ores. It is designed to reduce the level of radioactive contamination in the product. Developed in the early 1990s by Renison Goldfields, Australia, in collaboration with the CSIRO, Perth, and first operated in Narngulu in 1996. 

An important modification of the Becher process is the development of the Synthetic Rutile Enhancement Process (SREP) route, using various leaching methods to reduce the level of radioactivity in the synthetic rutile product to internationally acceptable levels. 

Becher A process for making synthetic rutile (a titanium concentrate) from ilmenite ore. The ore, typically containing 58% titanium dioxide, is first roasted with coal and 0.2%-0.5% of elemental sulfur at 1200°C in a specially designed rotary kiln. This reduces the iron in the ilmenite to the metallic state. After cooling, partially burned coal and ash are removed from the product by screening and magnetic separation. The reduced... 

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