The anodic dissolution of iron from three different Western Australian
reduced ilmenites was investigated using the carbon paste electrode
technique. A characteristic current-potential diagram, called a cyclic
voltammogram (CV), was obtained for each of the reduced ilmenites.
The shape of the CV measured for all three reduced ilmenites was
strongly time dependent. The effect of electrolyte composition and
temperature on the CV of one reduced ilmenite was also investigated.
The results suggest that the initial surface of iron in reduced ilmenite is
slow to dissolve and that chloride ions and higher temperatures accelerate
the dissolution of this initial surface layer. However, after removal of this
layer, the dissolution rate was essentially independent of the electrolyte
composition and the temperature.