MetalPrices.com About Titanium

PROPERTIES:

Titanium has a melting point of over 3.000°F.

It also has the highest strength to weight ratio of all metals. It is as strong as steel but 45% lighter. It is more than twice as heavy as aluminum but at least twice as strong.

Another property of titanium that makes it a unique and irreplaceable commodity is it’s resistance to most environmental or chemical attacks. Titanium is not affected by most common acids, and is immune to corrosion from saltwater.

Strong, lightweight, heat resistant, rust-proof, corrosion resistant, virtually indestructible, bio-neutral, non-toxic, and colorful when heated, titanium is a universal material.

APPLICATIONS:

Much of the titanium produced today goes into the manufacture of aircraft engine parts and structural components. Titanium is used in engine cases, turbine blades, rotors, compressor blades, discs, rings, bulkheads, landing gear, hydraulic system parts, wing supports, fasteners, tail assemblies, and in some cases, the aircraft skin, to name just a few. A Boeing 747 is estimated to use around 45 metric tons of titanium, with engine components comprising approximately 8% of the total. The larger the aircraft, the more important it becomes to maximize weight saving. Therefore dual aisle aircraft are more likely to specify titanium components in the design. It is estimated that 20% of the new Boeing 787 will be made from Titanium.

Another very important characteristic of titanium that makes it indispensable in the aircraft industry is it’s nobility to composites. Composites are becoming increasingly important to aircraft structure due to their light weight and smooth aerodynamics. An aircraft, in a certain build configuration, needs a set amount of thrust and power to create enough lift to sustain flight. Weight and drag are the main obstacles that must be overcome. Any additional power can be used for performance, how fast it climbs or how fast it goes, or for payload, how much it can carry. Composites are not strong enough to be used in many components, so they are dependant on pairing with some metal alloy. Aluminum is incompatible with various composites, and should never be in contact with them. The inert titanium does not share this problem, and has shown to be a perfect compliment to composites.

Much of the ore mined is refined into titanium dioxide (TiO2), an extremely white and very permanent pigment that is used in many household products. It adds the pure white color to many plastics, adds brightness, durability, and fade resistance to paints, and opacity to paper. The reflectivity of titanium dioxide is useful in paints used in outdoor applications. It creates a cooler environment by reflecting the sunlight. It is the component that creates the star in gemstones. Being very high in dispersion and refraction qualities, it is used in protective films, and sunscreen. You may also find titanium dioxide in your toothpaste.

Another useful titanium compound is titanium tetrachloride (TiCL4). When this clear liquid is exposed to air and combined with water it produces a dense cloud of white vapor. It’s used for smoke effects in the movies, sky writing, and smoke screens.

Titanium is not toxic to the human body and totally bio-compatible, which means that it is readily accepted by body tissues. This makes it ideal for many medical supplies and implanted parts. For example, nickel causes an allergic reaction in approximately 10% of biological uses. Titanium does not seem to cause this reaction. It is deemed to be absolutely inert in the human body, and not susceptible to corrosion by any of the body’s many acids and defenses. With titanium’s resistance to corrosion, a skeletal replacement or dental implant can remain in place for 20 to 30 years. This bio-compatibility also makes titanium the perfect material for pacemaker cases, structure for replacement heart valves, and internal defibrillators. Titanium is also ideal for surgical tools. Its weight lessens fatigue, the corrosion resistance holds a sharp edge, and its lack of magnetic charge helps protect the integrity of implants containing an electrical charge.

Titanium is rapidly becoming indispensable in various industries because of its corrosion resistance. The wall thickness of many components are often dependant on three variables; structural requirements, pressure allowance, and corrosion allowance. In many corrosive environments the rate a metal component breaks down determines its estimated lifetime before replacement is necessary. In most circumstances titanium doesn’t corrode at all and therefore does not need this allowance. Because of this less material is used, and less downtime for maintenance and replacement is needed.

Titanium is used in desalination plants and marine applications because it is very resistant to the corrosive effects of salt water, waste water, or brackish environments. It is used in the condenser tubing of generator plants. The petroleum industry uses titanium in much of the pipe and water systems on open sea production platforms, as well as heat exchangers and reactors. It is also widely used in the chemical processing industry. Because it is insoluble it does not impart its own personality to chemical reactions.

Titanium is used extensively in the exotic automotive industry and racing car market. Many engine parts are fabricated from titanium because of its light weight, strength, and heat resistance. Weight is reduced by using titanium in frame and suspension parts, as well as exhaust systems. Titanium is finding its way into many mainstream automotive applications.

Titanium has become a favorite medium for many artists. The bio-compatibility of this element makes it wonderful for jewelry and body piercing. When heated to various temperatures it changes to a myriad of colors including purples, blues, yellows, and reds. Titanium eyewear frames are strong, lightweight and colorful. For outdoor sculpture titanium is unsurpassed because of its corrosion resistance and longevity. It was used to construct the Monument to the Conquerors of Space in Moscow. It is also used in architecture as an exterior roofing and siding in buildings like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain.

U.S.Geological Survey (USGS): Titanium

Statistics and Information: Titanium occurs primarily in the minerals anatase, brookite, ilmenite, leucoxene, perovskite, rutile, and sphene. Of these minerals, only ilmenite, leucoxene, and rutile have significant economic importance.As a metal, titanium is well known for corrosion resistance and for its high strength-to-weight ratio.Approximately 95% of titanium is consumed in the form of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a white pigment in paints, paper, and plastics.TiO₂ pigment is characterized by its purity, refractive index, particle size, and surface properties.To develop optimum pigment properties, the particle size is controlled within the range of about 0.2 to 0.4 micrometer.The superiority of TiO₂ as a white pigment is due mainly to its high refractive index and resulting light-scattering ability, which impart excellent hiding power and brightness.

Titanium Mineral Concentrates(1)
(Data in thousand metric tons of contained TiO2 unless otherwise noted)

U.S. Domestic Production and Use: Two firms produced ilmenite and rutile concentrates from surface-mining operations in Florida and Virginia. The value of titanium mineral concentrates consumed in the United States in 2008 was about $600 million. Zircon was a coproduct of mining from ilmenite and rutile deposits. About 94% of titanium mineral concentrates was consumed by domestic titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment producers. The remaining 6% was used in welding rod coatings and for manufacturing carbides, chemicals, and metal.

U.S. Import Sources(2004-07): South Africa, 52%; Australia, 27%; Canada, 15%; Ukraine, 3%; and other, 3%.

U.S. Depletion Allowance: Ilmenite and rutile; 22% (U.S. domestic), 14% (Foreign).

Events, Trends, and Issues: U.S. domestic consumption of titanium mineral concentrates was estimated to have decreased moderately. While mining continued at Starke, FL, and Stony Creek, VA, mining operations at Green Cove Springs, FL, were limited to reprocessing of tailings to recover zircon. At the Stony Creek mining operation, development of the Brink deposit, located 48 kilometers south of the Old Hickory Mine, was proceeding, and production was expected to begin in the second quarter of 2009.

Global production of titanium mineral concentrates was estimated to have decreased slightly compared with that of 2007. In Vietnam, new government policies were being implemented to cease ilmenite exports, control illegal mining, and promote the development of upgraded products. In Sierra Leone, a dredge capsized, removing about 100,000 tons per year of natural rutile production capacity. In South Africa, production was hindered by mineral processing difficulties, power supply issues, and a water ingress at a slag furnace. New mining projects were being developed in Australia, Canada, Chile, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Senegal, and South Africa.

World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Reserve base estimate for Australia was revised based on new information derived from government and industry reports.

World Resources: Ilmenite supplies about 92% of the world’s demand for titanium minerals. World resources of anatase, ilmenite, and rutile total more than 2 billion tons.

Substitutes: Ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile, slag, and synthetic rutile compete as feedstock sources for producing TiOpigment, titanium metal, and welding-rod coatings.

e)Estimated.
(NA)Not available. — Zero.
(1)See also Titanium and Titanium Dioxide.
(2)Rounded to nearest 0.1 million tons to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
(3)Includes rutile.
(4)Mine production is primarily used to produce titaniferous slag.
(5)U.S. rutile production is included with ilmenite to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2009