Preparation of rutile from ilmenite

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR BENEFICIATING MASSIVE ILMENITE ORES TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT RICHER IN TITANIUM DIOXIDE WHICH INCLUDES (1) CRUSHING THE ILMENITE ORE TO PARTICLES COARSER THAN 65 MESH AND FINER THAN 65 MESH; (2) DISSOLVING IRON PRESENT IN THE CRUSHED ORE BY DIGESTING THE CRUSHED ORE WITH A CONCENTRATED SOLUTION OF HYROCHLORIC ACID AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 85*C. AND THE BOILING POINT OF THE SOLUTION FOR BETWEEN ABOUT ONE AND TWO DAYS; (3) AGITATING THE ILMENITE WHILE IT IS BEING TREATED WITH THE ACID; (4) SEPARATING THE RESULTING PRODUCT INTO A LIQUID PORTION AND A SOLID PORTION AND (5) RECOVERING THE TITANIUM DIOXIDE IN SAID SOLID PORTION; THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH COMPRISES: REMOVING THE FRACTION FINER THAN 65 MESH, TYLER STANDARD, FROM THE CRUSHED ILMENITE PRIOR TO TREATMENT WHICH HCL; SEPARATING SOLIDS COARSER THAN 325 MESH FROM THE ACID-TREATED MATERIAL, LEAVING AS A SOLID PRODUCT, HYDRATED RUTILE FINER THAN 325 MESH, TYLER STANDARD, AND SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF THE SILICA AND PYRITES INITIALLY PRESENT IN THE CRUSHED ILMENITE AND RECOVERING THE SOLID HYDRATED RUTILE.