Knowra Ilmenite Ilmenite Ilmenite is an iron–titanium oxide mineral with the formula FeTiO₃. It is a major source of titanium and commonly occurs in igneous rocks and mineral sands.
Titanium dioxide : A titanium–oxygen compound, TiO₂, used widely as a white pigment and in other materials. Ilmenite is processed to produce titanium dioxide, its largest-volume commercial product.
Fractional crystallization : The separation of early-formed crystals from magma, changing the composition of the remaining melt. Crystal separation can concentrate iron and titanium in magmas that crystallize ilmenite.
Titanium : A strong, low-density metallic element valued for corrosion resistance and high strength-to-weight ratio. Ilmenite is mined and processed as a principal raw material for titanium.
Tellnes mine : A large open-pit ilmenite mine in Rogaland, southwestern Norway. Tellnes is a prominent example of ilmenite mined from anorthosite-hosted ore.
Hematite : An iron oxide mineral, Fe₂O₃, and an important iron ore. Hematite shares ilmenite’s rhombohedral structure and can form solid solutions with it.
Magma : Molten or partially molten rock beneath Earth’s surface, containing crystals and dissolved gases. Ilmenite commonly crystallizes directly from magma or from magma-derived rocks.
Titanium dioxide pigment : A white pigment made from titanium dioxide, used for opacity and brightness in products such as paint and paper. Most ilmenite-derived titanium enters pigment production through titanium dioxide.
Lac Tio : A large ilmenite deposit and mining operation near Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec, Canada. Its massive ilmenite ore illustrates a major hard-rock deposit type.
Geikielite : A magnesium–titanium oxide mineral, MgTiO₃, in the ilmenite mineral group. Magnesium can substitute for iron in ilmenite, linking it compositionally to geikielite.
Weathering : The physical and chemical breakdown of rocks and minerals at or near Earth’s surface. Weathering releases resistant ilmenite grains from their source rocks.
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