Characterisation of Titanium Ore (Ilmenite) Deposits in Cross River State for Potential Titanium Dioxide Production

This study characterises ilmenite ore deposits in Cross River State, South South Nigeria, to assess their suitability as feedstock for titanium dioxide (TiO2) production. Ilmenite is the primary commercial source of titanium, which is used in aerospace, biomedical, and pigment industries, and recent geological surveys have documented ilmenite occurrences in the basement complex terrain of Cross River State. Ore samples are collected from alluvial and eluvial deposits in Obubra and Abi Local Government Areas. Mineralogical characterisation is performed by XRD, XRF chemical analysis, SEM-EDX, and optical microscopy of heavy mineral concentrates. Liberation size is determined by progressive size reduction and mineralogical analysis at each size fraction. Beneficiation testing using gravity separation and magnetic separation is conducted to produce a TiO2-enriched concentrate. Leaching experiments using sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid are performed to estimate the accessibility of TiO2 from the ore. Results confirm ilmenite as the dominant titanium mineral, averaging 45 percent TiO2 equivalent content in the bulk ore. After two-stage beneficiation, a concentrate assaying 58 percent TiO2 equivalent is obtained. Acid leaching kinetics are modelled using the shrinking core model. The study concludes that Cross River State ilmenite deposits warrant pilot-scale beneficiation and metallurgical processing studies. Keywords: ilmenite, titanium dioxide, ore characterisation, beneficiation, Cross River State.