Titanium

A strong, light metal for aerospace, though most mined titanium becomes white pigment.

Overview

The titanium minerals ilmenite and rutile are mined in countries including Australia, South Africa, Mozambique and China, but most output becomes titanium dioxide, the white pigment in paint, plastics and paper, rather than metal. Metal is made by the Kroll process, reducing titanium tetrachloride with magnesium into porous sponge, a costly batch route that keeps titanium expensive. Sponge output is led by China, Japan, Russia and Kazakhstan, and aerospace is the key buyer, using alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V in airframes and jet engines. Sanctions after 2022 pushed Western planemakers to reduce reliance on the Russian giant VSMPO-AVISMA. There is no major exchange contract, and prices are negotiated in long term deals.