Author 1:
Name & Surname: Kalugin A. I.
Company: Apatit JSC (Kirovsk, Russia)
Work Position: Technical Director—Chief Engineer
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences
Contacts: e-mail: AKalugin@phosagro.ru

Author 2:
Name & Surname: Nikolaev A. I.
Company: I. V. Tananaev Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Rare Elements and Mineral Raw Materials, Kola Science Center, Russian Academy of Science (Apatity, Russia)
Work Position: Research Manger
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Author 3:
Name & Surname: Gerasimova L. G.
Company: I. V. Tananaev Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Rare Elements and Mineral Raw Materials, Kola Science Center, Russian Academy of Science (Apatity, Russia)
Work Position: Divisional Manager
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Author 4:
Name & Surname: Skryabin A. N.
Company: Apatit JSC (Kirovsk, Russia)
Work Position: Head of Research Center

During 85 years of operation, the Khibiny apatite-nepheline ore deposits have been supplying Russia with the phosphorus-containing feedstock. Nevertheless, utilization of the compound apatite-nepheline material remains low-efficient. Apart from apatite, up to 10% of nepheline is extracted. Fines of the other minerals (aegirine, sphene, titano-magnetite) almost in full go to tailings ponds, which causes regional ecological deprivation. The lack of operating titanium deposits in Russia makes the apatite-nepheline ore a promising alternative source of titaniferous minerals such as sphene and titanomagnetite. The joint research carried out by experts of Apatit JSC and scientists of the Kola Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, has resulted in the development of the recovery and processing schemes enabling production of marketable sphene, titano-magnetite and aegirine concentrates. The production package developed at the Tananaev Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Rare Elements and Mineral Raw Materials allows an optimum choice of technologies for the titanium and rare metal feedstock processing. The accessory minerals in the composition of the Khibiny alkaline rocks were earlier neglected in view of their small amount and complicated recovery. Discovery of new minerals was very important for understanding the ore and mineral formation processes. Pegmatitic and hydrothermal veins inside the Main Ring of the Khibiny Mountains disclosed an unusually high, even for alkaline rocks, number of mineral types (300). The article discusses the experimental results of synthesizing some equivalents of natural titanium silicates and their sorption ability. The studies were aimed at development of an innovative multipath technology for production of fine-porous titanium silicate materials from the feedstock represented by the apatite-nepheline ore dressing tailings and, first of all, sphene concentrate.

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