Integrated Valorization of Vanadium–Titanium Magnetite for Recovery of Vanadium-Bearing Molten Iron and Rutile-Rich TiO2 Product

Vanadium–titanium magnetite is a polymetallic resource in which the low reactivity and complex phase constitution of Ti-bearing smelting slag restrict the coordinated recovery of Fe, V, and Ti. In this study, a coupled route involving laboratory-scale induction-furnace smelting separation, magnetic separation, NaOH activation roasting, and staged leaching was investigated for upgrading ground vanadium–titanium magnetite metallized pellets. At 1690 °C for 20 min with 2.5 wt% coke under natural slag basicity, a vanadium-bearing metallic product containing 92.07 wt% Fe and 1.27 wt% V was obtained, while Ti was concentrated in a slag containing 47.83 wt% TiO2. Increasing slag basicity improved vanadium partitioning into the metallic phase but decreased the TiO2 content and subsequent upgrading performance of the slag. Following magnetic separation and NaOH-activated roasting at 900 °C for 90 min with 40 wt% NaOH, staged leaching yielded a rutile-rich product containing 90.70 wt% TiO2, with a Ti recovery of 88.75%. These results demonstrate that controlling the phase constitution of smelting-derived Ti-bearing slag is important for its subsequent alkali-activation upgrading and Ti enrichment.