Difference between revisions of "Ilmenite"

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== Introduction ==
FeTiO<SUB>3</SUB> (Iron titanate, or [[Iron]] [[Titanium]] oxide)
 
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'''Ilmenite''' is a naturally occurring titanium and iron ore. It is named for the location where it was discovered, Ilmen Lake in the Ural Mountains of Russia. It is present in variable quantities on the surface of the moon.
 
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Currently Ilmenite is the most important ore of Titanium in the world and its only competition is [[rutile]]. Although rutile has a higher amount of titanium in its makeup, rutile is not concentrated in planet-side igneous deposits like ilmenite and thus is not as useful.
 
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[[LUNOX | Oxygen]] can be extracted from ilmenite by [[reduction | reducing]] the iron content to metallic form by the process of [[Ilmenite Reduction]].
 
  
==External Links==  
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'''Ilmenite''' ([[Iron|Fe]][[Titanium|Ti]]O<SUB>3</SUB>, also known as Iron titanate, or [[iron]] [[titanium]] oxide) is a naturally occurring titanium and iron ore. It is named for the location where it was discovered, Ilmen Lake in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Ilmenite is currently the most important ore of Titanium for terrestrial production. It is reasonably abundant on Luna, the greatest concentrations being found in the lunar maria.
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== Lunar Extraction and Use ==
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(see also: [[Ilmenite Reduction]])
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Ilmenite is weakly magnetic, and can be removed from lunar regolith by [[Beneficiation|magnetic beneficiation]]. This property allows for the relatively easy extraction of Ilmenite, even from areas where it is not as abundant.
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Ilmenite has been proposed as a feedstock for lunar [[Lunar Titanium Production|titanium]] and [[iron]] production. In addition, the iron oxides present in the Ilmenite require the least energy to reduce of any oxide found on Luna. Because of this property, together with the ease of extraction from lunar sources, ilmenite has been proposed as a prime material for production of lunar [[oxygen]].
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Crystallized Ilmenite is a semiconductor with a bandgap of 2.54 volts.<ref>''THE MOON, Resources, Future Development, and Settlement''; David Schrunk, Burton Sharpe, Bonnie Cooper, Madhu Thangavelu; (C) 2008 Praxis Publishing Ltd, Chichester, UK; p 273</ref>  Ilmenite photovoltaic cells may have a greater conversion efficiency than silicon or gallium arsenide in unfiltered solar radiation.  Also, they should withstand higher temperature with less radiation damage.  When ''THE MOON, Resources, Future Development, and Settlement'' by Schrunk et al. was published in 2008, the development of the photovoltaic properties of ilmenite was not far enough along to be certain of its usefulness in solar cells.  In the sunlight filtered by Earth's atmosphere, silicon cells would have an advantage in efficiency.<ref>[http://pubs.rsc.org/services/images/RSCpubs.ePlatform.Service.FreeContent.ImageService.svc/ImageService/Articleimage/2014/EE/c3ee41981a/c3ee41981a-f2_hi-res.gif efficiency as a function of bandgap]</ref>
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==External Links==
 
<!-- Detailed information on the lunar oxygen extraction from Ilmenites process can be found at: -->
 
<!-- Detailed information on the lunar oxygen extraction from Ilmenites process can be found at: -->
 
*Anthony, J. Colozza, Wayne A. Wong, [http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2006/TM-2006-214360.pdf Evaluation of a Stirling Solar Dynamic System for Lunar Oxygen Production], NASA/TM -- 2006-214360  
 
*Anthony, J. Colozza, Wayne A. Wong, [http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2006/TM-2006-214360.pdf Evaluation of a Stirling Solar Dynamic System for Lunar Oxygen Production], NASA/TM -- 2006-214360  
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*[http://webmineral.com/data/Ilmenite.shtml e-Rocks.com Ilmenite Mineral Data]
 
*[http://webmineral.com/data/Ilmenite.shtml e-Rocks.com Ilmenite Mineral Data]
 
*[http://www.mindat.org/min-2013.html Mindat.org Ilmenite mineral information and data]
 
*[http://www.mindat.org/min-2013.html Mindat.org Ilmenite mineral information and data]
 
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*''Space Resource News'' Vol. 4 No. 6, [http://www.outofthecradle.net/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/srn_v4n06.pdf Lunar Ilmenite for Solar Cells]
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==Reference==
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<references/>
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[[Category:Selenology]]  
 
[[Category:Selenology]]  
 
[[Category:Chemistry]]
 
[[Category:Chemistry]]
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[[Category:Minerals]]

Latest revision as of 17:42, 13 October 2014

Introduction

Ilmenite (FeTiO3, also known as Iron titanate, or iron titanium oxide) is a naturally occurring titanium and iron ore. It is named for the location where it was discovered, Ilmen Lake in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Ilmenite is currently the most important ore of Titanium for terrestrial production. It is reasonably abundant on Luna, the greatest concentrations being found in the lunar maria.


Lunar Extraction and Use

(see also: Ilmenite Reduction)

Ilmenite is weakly magnetic, and can be removed from lunar regolith by magnetic beneficiation. This property allows for the relatively easy extraction of Ilmenite, even from areas where it is not as abundant.

Ilmenite has been proposed as a feedstock for lunar titanium and iron production. In addition, the iron oxides present in the Ilmenite require the least energy to reduce of any oxide found on Luna. Because of this property, together with the ease of extraction from lunar sources, ilmenite has been proposed as a prime material for production of lunar oxygen.

Crystallized Ilmenite is a semiconductor with a bandgap of 2.54 volts.[1] Ilmenite photovoltaic cells may have a greater conversion efficiency than silicon or gallium arsenide in unfiltered solar radiation. Also, they should withstand higher temperature with less radiation damage. When THE MOON, Resources, Future Development, and Settlement by Schrunk et al. was published in 2008, the development of the photovoltaic properties of ilmenite was not far enough along to be certain of its usefulness in solar cells. In the sunlight filtered by Earth's atmosphere, silicon cells would have an advantage in efficiency.[2]

External Links

Reference

  1. THE MOON, Resources, Future Development, and Settlement; David Schrunk, Burton Sharpe, Bonnie Cooper, Madhu Thangavelu; (C) 2008 Praxis Publishing Ltd, Chichester, UK; p 273
  2. efficiency as a function of bandgap