Ilmenite
Iron & Titanium Oxide, Ferrous Titanate
Chemistry
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Links to Other Materials
Miscellaneous
- Family: Flux Source
- Region: None
- Mined At: Unspecified
- Raw Mineral: Yes
- Generic: Yes
Notes
Ilmenite is a black colored heavy ore of iron and titanium, FeTiO3 (or FeO.TiO2). It is closely related to rutile. Material of up to 15% iron and other contaminants (and therefore 85% titanium) is called rutile whereas material of over 15% is called ilmenite (in reality ilmenite can contain up to 40% iron). Rutile is considered an impure form of titanium whereas ilmenite is considered as FeTiO3. Major other contaminants are magnesium and manganese.
Like rutile, ilmenite is quite variable in nature. You can tell the difference between granular rutile and granular ilmenite by doing a smear test against an agrasive surface (i.e. an unglazed white tile). The rutile will be tan or brown, the ilmenite will be black or dark brown. Likewise, under a microscope the ilmenite will be an opaque black whereas the rutile crystals will be somewhat translucent or transparent.
Ilmenite ocurrs both an veins, disseminated deposits, or large masses. Thus according to the type of deposit the processed mineral will contain other things (i.e. apatite, syenite, diorite). It is mined in Quebec, Norway, New York state, Virginia, Africa and Australia.
It is now common for ilmenite operations to combine mine, mill, and smelter. The raw ore (often a "sand") is upgraded at the mill to produce a higher-grade ilmenite, near pure rutile (and often a zircon "concentrate"). There are two process to produce pure TiO2 from ilmenite (sulfate & chloride). Since the TiO2 industry is geared toward these requirements, ceramic users end up with the same grade.
Ilmenite can be used in small amounts (-1%) to produce dark brown specks in bodies and specialized glazes. It also is used in combination with rutile to develop characteristic rutile break glazes; it seeds crystals in titania glazes.
You should consider testing each batch of this material you get by mixing it with a boron frit and firing a button of it high enough to create a pool of glass. Variations in chemistry will be immediately evident.
(Richard Willis)
Mineral, of the ideal form FeO, TiO2 with a typical empirical analysis of FeO 47.34%, TiO2 52.66%
Hardness: 5-6 Density: 4.5-5 Insoluble in acids
Popular for creating iron crystalline “splotches” in stoneware clays which then bleed into opaque glaze finishes. Common mineral of pegmatites and other granite-origin feldspathics.
Properties
Surface Modifier - Variegation
Ilmenite can be used with rutile to produce classic rutile-breaking glazes. Use up to 2% ilmenite.Surface Modifier - Crystalization
Ilmenite seeds crystals in titania glazes.
Data
- Melting Point (MP): 1365C
- Specific Gravity: 4.80
- Hardness (Moh): 6.0
- Hardness (Moh): 6.0
- Specific Gravity: 4.80
- Melting Point (MP): 1365C
URLs
- Wikipedia definition - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilmenite
Suppliers
- Generic
Authors
- Tony Hansen (Owner)
Pictures
-
Ilmenite Crystal Matrix
XML
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<material name="Ilmenite" descrip="Iron & Titanium Oxide, Ferrous Titanate" generic="1" rawmineral="1" searchkey="Illmenite" loi="0.00">
<families>
<family name="Flux Source"/>
</families>
<oxides>
<oxide symbol="TiO2" name="Titanium Dioxide, Titania" status="" percent="49.410" tolerance=""/>
<oxide symbol="FeO" name="Ferrous Oxide" status="" percent="50.590" tolerance=""/>
</oxides>
<references>
<reference name="seealso" reason=""/>
<reference name="seealso" reason=""/>
</references>
<suppliers>
<supplier name="Generic" country="" url="" label=""/>
</suppliers>
<notes>
<note>Ilmenite is a black colored heavy ore of iron and titanium, FeTiO3 (or FeO.TiO2). It is closely related to rutile. Material of up to 15% iron and other contaminants (and therefore 85% titanium) is called rutile whereas material of over 15% is called ilmenite (in reality ilmenite can contain up to 40% iron). Rutile is considered an impure form of titanium whereas ilmenite is considered as FeTiO3. Major other contaminants are magnesium and manganese.
Like rutile, ilmenite is quite variable in nature. You can tell the difference between granular rutile and granular ilmenite by doing a smear test against an agrasive surface (i.e. an unglazed white tile). The rutile will be tan or brown, the ilmenite will be black or dark brown. Likewise, under a microscope the ilmenite will be an opaque black whereas the rutile crystals will be somewhat translucent or transparent.
Ilmenite ocurrs both an veins, disseminated deposits, or large masses. Thus according to the type of deposit the processed mineral will contain other things (i.e. apatite, syenite, diorite). It is mined in Quebec, Norway, New York state, Virginia, Africa and Australia.
It is now common for ilmenite operations to combine mine, mill, and smelter. The raw ore (often a "sand") is upgraded at the mill to produce a higher-grade ilmenite, near pure rutile (and often a zircon "concentrate"). There are two process to produce pure TiO2 from ilmenite (sulfate & chloride). Since the TiO2 industry is geared toward these requirements, ceramic users end up with the same grade.
Ilmenite can be used in small amounts (-1%) to produce dark brown specks in bodies and specialized glazes. It also is used in combination with rutile to develop characteristic rutile break glazes; it seeds crystals in titania glazes.
You should consider testing each batch of this material you get by mixing it with a boron frit and firing a button of it high enough to create a pool of glass. Variations in chemistry will be immediately evident.</note>
<note>Mineral, of the ideal form FeO, TiO<FONT SIZE=2><SUB>2</SUB></FONT><SUB> </SUB>with a typical empirical analysis of FeO 47.34%, TiO<FONT SIZE=2><SUB>2</SUB></FONT> 52.66%
Hardness: 5-6 Density: 4.5-5 Insoluble in acids
Popular for creating iron crystalline &#147;splotches&#148; in stoneware clays which then bleed into opaque glaze finishes. Common mineral of pegmatites and other granite-origin feldspathics.
</note>
</notes>
<testdata>
<testitem testname="2" value="1365C"/>
<testitem testname="2" value="4.80"/>
<testitem testname="2" value="6.0"/>
<testitem testname="2" value="6.0"/>
<testitem testname="2" value="4.80"/>
<testitem testname="2" value="1365C"/>
</testdata>
<pictures>
<picture description="Ilmenite Crystal Matrix" filename="ilmenite_crystal_matrix.jpg"/>
</pictures>
</material>
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