<p>Panzhihua ilmenite concentrate is an important Ti-bearing resource; however, its high CaO and MgO content renders it unsuitable for high-temperature chlorination in titanium extraction. Titanium dioxide must first be converted into a carbide or nitride to facilitate subsequent low-temperature chlorination. This study investigates the phase evolution and non-isothermal reduction–nitridation kinetics of Panzhihua ilmenite concentrate in an ammonia atmosphere. The non-isothermal kinetics were analyzed in detail using both the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) and model-fitting methods. As the temperature increased, the reaction gradually transitioned from reduction to nitridation, following the pathway: FeTiO₃ → Fe + TiO₂ → Fe + Ti₃O₅ → Fe + Ti(N,O). During the reduction stage, metallic iron and Ti₃O₅ were the primary phases formed. The average apparent activation energy was 101.28&#xa0;kJ/mol using the KAS method. The phase-boundary-controlled sphere contraction model, G(<i>α</i>) = 1–(1–<i>α</i>)^1/3 = <i>kt</i>, best described the reduction stage, yielding an average activation energy of 87.12&#xa0;kJ/mol. In the nitridation stage, Ti₃O₅ converted into Ti(N,O), governed by phase-boundary-controlled spherical contraction model (G(<i>α</i>) = 1–(1–<i>α</i>)^1/3 = <i>kt</i>) with an average activation energy of 475.05&#xa0;kJ/mol.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>