Editing Titanium dioxide (section)

===Sulfate process===
In the sulfate process, ilmenite is treated with [[sulfuric acid]] to extract [[iron(II) sulfate|iron(II) sulfate pentahydrate]]. This process requires concentrated ilmenite (45–60% TiO<sub>2</sub>) or pretreated feedstocks as a suitable source of titanium.<ref name=jv>{{cite web |url=https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/c6/c1/7b/20176ebf24a65c/EP0869194A1.pdf|title=Process for preparing titanium dioxide|last=Vartiainen|first=Jaana|date=7 October 1998}}</ref> The resulting synthetic rutile is further processed according to the specifications of the end user, i.e. pigment grade or otherwise.<ref name="Production">{{cite book |last=Winkler |first=Jochen |title=Titanium Dioxide |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-87870-148-4 |pages=30–31 |publisher=Vincentz Network |location=Hannover}}</ref>

Examples of plants using the sulfate process are the [[Sorel-Tracy]] plant of [[QIT-Fer et Titane]] and the [[Eramet Titanium & Iron]] smelter in [[Tyssedal]] Norway.<ref name="fc1">{{Cite web |vauthors=Withers JC, Cardarelli F, Laughlin J, Loutfy RO |date= |title=Recent Improvements for Electrowinning Titanium Metal from Composite Anodes |url=http://www.francoiscardarelli.ca/PDF_Files/Article_Cardarelli_MER_Process.pdf |location=Tucson, AZ |publisher=Materials & Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation}}</ref>