PRODUCTION OF TITANIUM METAL VALUES

Titanium metal values may be recovered from a titanium bearing source by subjecting the titanium bearing source to a reductive roast followed by leaching the reduced source with a hydrogen chloride source. Thereafter the leached titanium bearing source is precipitated by contact with a metal oxide such as ferric oxide in which the metal is present in a highly oxidized state. The precipitated titanium dioxide is separated and recovered while the spent liquor is treated to form hydrogen chloride which may be recycled to the leaching zone with a simultaneous formation of the metal oxide for recycle to the precipitation zone.