Titanium dioxide, which is used as a white pigment in products such as toothpaste, is derived from which mineral?

Ilmenite

The correct answer is option 2. Ilmenite.

Titanium dioxide \((TiO_2)\) is indeed derived from the mineral ilmenite. Here's an explanation:

1. Ilmenite:  Ilmenite is a naturally occurring mineral composed primarily of iron titanium oxide \((FeTiO_3)\). It is one of the primary sources of titanium dioxide, which is extracted from ilmenite through various chemical processes.

2. Extraction Process:  The extraction of titanium dioxide from ilmenite involves several steps. Initially, ilmenite ore is processed to remove impurities and separate out the titanium dioxide. This process typically involves beneficiation techniques such as magnetic separation, flotation, or gravity separation to concentrate the titanium dioxide content.

3. Chemical Processing: After beneficiation, the concentrated ilmenite is subjected to chemical processing to convert the titanium dioxide into a usable form. This usually involves either the sulfate process or the chloride process. In the sulfate process, ilmenite is reacted with sulfuric acid to produce a titanium sulfate solution, which is then hydrolyzed to precipitate titanium dioxide. In the chloride process, ilmenite is reacted with chlorine gas to form titanium tetrachloride, which is then purified and oxidized to produce titanium dioxide.

4. Titanium Dioxide Production:  Once the titanium dioxide is extracted and purified, it can be further processed into various forms suitable for different applications. In the case of toothpaste and other consumer products, titanium dioxide is often used as a white pigment due to its bright white color and excellent opacity. It provides whiteness and brightness to toothpaste while also serving as an abrasive agent for cleaning.

Overall, ilmenite serves as a crucial source of titanium dioxide, which finds extensive use in various industries, including paints, coatings, plastics, paper, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, in addition to toothpaste.