Welding Electrodes Using Rutile And Ilmenite

Rutile and ilmenite are heavy minerals mostly found in form of placer mineral deposits on the surface of sea shores and river banks. They are extracted using heavy mineral mining and are separated through various separation processes like gravity separation and magnetic separation. They are mainly used for industrial applications such as in the making of Titanium metal, as colouring agents, ceramic and glass products. Ilmenite is mainly used for making white walled tyres, glazed papers, plastic, printed fabrics, flooring materials like linoleum, pharmaceuticals, soaps face powders and other cosmetic products. And Rutile is mainly used for car paints, sunscreens, plastics, paper and textiles, as well as a growing number of foodstuffs and cosmetics.

Enriched concentrate of ilmenite is used for production of welding electrodes of rutile. The principal industrial application of rutile is in the manufacture of titanium dioxide or synthetic rutile and welding rod coating.

However, ilmenite coatings are considered to be inferior to rutile coatings on welding electrodes. Although ilmenite is considerably cheaper than Rutile, Rutile electrodes are preferred over ilmenite welding electrodes.

VV Mineral is one of India, major manufacturer and exporter of Ilmenite and Rutile. VV Minerals, India is also the first private ilmenite exporter of the country. The annual output of 2,25,000 metric tons of Ilmenite is unmatched till date. It is family grown business started by Mr. S Vaikundarajan, Chairman of VV Group of companies.