Madhumitha Jaganmohan
Research expert covering climate and environmental sustainability
Global titanium mining - statistics & facts
Titanium is a chemical element that is only found in nature as titanium oxide. Through processing, titanium metal, which is a transition metal with a silver color, is produced. Despite its low density, titanium metal is very strong, as well as being resistant to corrosion from sea water and other chemicals. These properties, as well as the fact that titanium can be alloyed with a variety of metals, make titanium an industrially important commodity. In addition to titanium metal, there are other forms of titanium, such as the powder titanium dioxide (often used as a pigment), or titanium sponge, which is produced during the multiple step process to produce the metal. As of 2023, the total global reserves of titanium minerals amounted to an estimated 690 million metric tons of ilmenite and 55 million metric tons of rutile. The country with the largest titanium reserves overall that year was China.
Global titanium production
As of 2023, the total global production volume of ilmenite amounted to an estimated 8.6 million metric tons of titanium dioxide equivalent, while rutile production amounted to an estimated 560,000 metric tons of titanium dioxide equivalent, amounting to a total global titanium production of 9.16 million metric tons. China dominates global titanium production overall, as the largest producer of ilmenite, titanium sponge, and titanium dioxide. Other leading titanium mineral producers are Mozambique, South Africa, and Australia, among others, depending on the specific mineral or form of titanium. Interestingly, most of the world’s titanium is produced in countries that are considered politically unstable.Global trade and prices of titanium products
The United States is the world’s largest exporter of titanium and articles thereof, while simultaneously being the world’s largest importer of another category of titanium: unwrought, waste or scrap, or powder. Meanwhile, China is the world’s largest exporter of titanium oxides and Germany is the largest importer of that product category. Because of the variety of titanium products on the market, prices for titanium are also varied. For instance, the Australian price of bulk rutile with a minimum titanium dioxide content of 95 percent, free on board, was 1,490 U.S. dollars per metric ton as of 2023, while the average unit value price of one metric ton of ilmenite imported to the U.S. was 390 U.S. dollars in the same year. The increasing demand for titanium and the growing emphasis on environmental-friendly products are expected to drive market growth in the coming years.
