The use of thermal plasma in material processing industries is becoming an increasingly active and attractive field for the development of new technology. The potential applications of thermal plasma processing technology cover a wide range of activities such as the extraction of metals and the refining/alloying of metals/alloys/minerals. This review describes the current status of ilmenite processing using thermal plasma technology. A comprehensive analysis of available scientific and technical literature on ilmenite processing is presented, including technological features and production of titania slag. The principles of thermal plasma generation and technologies available are outlined, together with potential applications for plasma vitrified products. Regulatory, economic, sociopolitical and industrial drivers are promoting adoption of advanced thermal conversion techniques such as thermal plasma processing, and these are expected to become increasingly commercially viable in the future.
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