10-04-2017, 08:35 PM
KERALA MINERALS AND METALS LTD
Industrial visit report
Industrial visit report
INTRODUCTION
The history of the beaches of Sankarmangalam and nearby areas is inextricably intertwined with the history of the precious beaches and KMML. Precious, as was discovered in 1909 by the German scientist Dr. Schomberg who found traces of monazite in the sand flakes on the imported coir from Sankaramangalam. The beaches with a wealth of rare earth minerals became the centre of scientific attraction.
By 1932, a visionary private entrepreneur established the F. X. Perira and Sons (Travancore) Pvt. Ltd, the forerunner to KMML. During the course of time, KMML changed hands three times over. In 1956 it was taken over by the state government and was placed under the control of the industries department. The unit was subsequently converted as a limited company in 1972 by the name of The Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd. with the following broad objectives.
1. Optimum utilization of mineral wealth found along the sea coast of Kollam-Alappuzha Districts.
2. Large scale generation of employment in the state in general.
3. Overall growth and development of the local area in particular and the state in general.
The construction of Titanium Dioxide Pigment using chloride technology started in 1979. The same was commissioned in 1984 as the first and only integrated Titanium Dioxide Plant in the world.
Today, with over 2000 employees and a range of products, KMML has become part and parcel of local and international life.
KMML PRODUCTS
KMML always maintains high standards of perfection, achieving technical excellence in every phase of production. Catering to strict guidelines, KMML offers a wide range of products for quality conscious customers. Our products go into the manufacture of a variety of products used in everyday life. Dress materials, facial creams, tablets, newsprints, wood paints, emulsions, enamels, plastics, tooth paste, rubber products, cosmetics, and printing ink All contain titanium dioxide. Believe it, you need our products to brighten your life.
The Process
The Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML) is the world s first fully integrated Titanium Dioxide Plant. KMML is also India s first and only manufacturer of Rutile Grade Titanium dioxide by chloride process.
Titanium dioxide (TiO2), also referred to as Titania, is a substance as old as the earth itself.
Titanium dioxide is readily mined in its purest form from beach sand. The beaches of Sankarmangalam and nearby areas in Kollam are inextricably intertwined with the history of this substance and KMML.
Dr. Schomberg, a German Scientist, discovered in 1909 traces of monazite in the sand flakes on the imported coir from Sankaramangalam. The beaches with a wealth of rare earth minerals became the centre of scientific attraction.
KMML is the world s first fully integrated Titanium dioxide plant. Established in 1932 as F. X. Perira and Sons (Travancore) Pvt. Ltd., by a visionary private entrepreneur, it was taken over by the State Government in 1956, and became a public limited company in 1972 in the name The Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd. (KMML) .
Titanium Dioxide is essentially harvested from sea. The Mineral Separation Unit (MS Unit) of KMML is engaged in the separation of Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxone, Monazite, Silliminite etc from the beach sand. The MS Unit employs Gravitational, Magnetic & High Tension Electrostatic Techniques for separation of minerals from the sand.
Raw Ilmenite is chemically processed to remove impurities such as iron, leaving the pure, white pigment available for use.
KMML is India s first and only manufacturer of Rutile Grade Titanium dioxide by chloride process.
The chloride process produces TiO2 products by reacting titanium ores with chlorine gas.
The chlorides of impurity metals are removed from Titanium Tetra Chloride (TiCl4) through various processes to complete the recovery of TiCl4. It is further purified by distillation to obtain pure Titanium Tetra Chloride in the liquid form which is stored in storage vessels. Titanium Tetra Chloride is vaporized, pre heated and oxidized with oxygen in the Oxidation Plant to produce raw Titanium Dioxide at a high temperature.
Beneficiated Ilmenite (BI) is the raw material for the Pigment Production Plant. BI from Ilmenite Beneficiation Plant is chlorinated in the Chlorination Plant to produce Titanium Tetra Chloride (Tickle). Chlorine reacts with Titanium Dioxide and other metallic oxide impurities in BI in the presence of petroleum coke at a temperature of 9000C in a fluidised bed chlorinator to produce chlorides of Titanium and other impurity metals.
The raw Titanium Dioxide is then classified and surface treated with various chemicals, filtered and washed to remove the salts, sent to the dryer and then to the microniser, in the Pigment Surface Treatment & Finishing Plant. The Titanium Dioxide pigment (in powder form) is subsequently packed.
The plant uses recycling and regeneration methods at various levels of processing, including acid regeneration, which ensures negligent pollution. Responsible harvesting from the seas reaffirms our commitment to the environment.
Process Chart
The Manufacturing Plant at KMML comprises the Mineral Separation (MS) Unit and the Titanium dioxide Pigment (TP) Unit.
The MS Unit is where the separation of Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxone, Monazite, Silliminite etc from the beach sand takes place, through the various stages in the Wet Concentration Plant, Dryer Plant, Dry Mill, Rutile & Zircon Recovery Plants. The MS Unit employs Gravitational, Magnetic, High tension electrostatic techniques for separation of minerals from the sand.
The TP Unit is where the raw Ilmenite obtained from the MS Unit is taken for further processing, through the various stages in the Ilmenite Beneficiation Plant, Acid Regeneration Plant, Pigment Production Plant, Oxygen Plant & Utility Section. Titanium Dioxide is manufactured here using the chloride route.
Applications
KEMOX RC 822 from KMML is a multiple application pigment, which is in great demand in the world market. We also produce other grades of Titanium Dioxide pigments like RC 800 PG, RC 800, RC 802, RC 813, RC 822 and RC 808. Minerals like Zircon and Monazite are used in the development of Nuclear Technology. We manufacture Iron oxide bricks from the waste Iron Oxide, which is used for building purpose.
The KMML Titanium pigments are reputed for their high degree of gloss, tint retention capacities and ease of dispersion.
Following are some of the major / common applications of the products that we manufacture:
TITANIUM DIOXIDE PIGMENT (RUTILE) LEUCOXENE
Paints Welding electrodes
Printing Inks Titanium Dioxide pigment
Plastic Titanium Tetra Chloride
Paper Titanium Compounds
Rubber MONAZITE
Textiles Rare earth industry
Ceramics Nuclear technology
TITANIUM TETRA CHLORIDE RUTILE
Titanium Dioxide Pigment Welding electrodes
Titanium Dioxide Pigment Titanium compounds
Titanium salts Titanium Dioxide Pigment
Butyl Titanate Titanium metal/sponge
Titanium Oxychlorides Titanium Tetra Chloride
ILMENAITE ZIRCON
Synthetic Rutile Ceramics
Titanium Tetra Chloride Foundries
Ferro Titanium alloys Refractories
Welding electronics Zirconium Chemicals
Titanium Dioxide pigment Zirconium metals
Titanium salts Nuclear technology
SILLIMANITE IRON OXIDE BRICKS
High temperature refractory As building Material
Ceramic industry
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