# Titanium dioxide

The white pigment in almost all paint, plastics and paper; a 10 Mt capacity industry now dominated by China and in a deep downturn.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/

Commodity chemicals · Other inorganics · No. 9

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- capacity 9.9 Mt (2025e); output about 7.8 Mt (indicative, basis: China 4.72 Mt (SunSirs, 2025) plus about 80% use of 3.9 Mt capacity elsewhere)
- 3.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 282300, 320611
 Commodity chemicals · Other inorganics · Foundation · Matter

The white in almost every tin of paint now comes mostly from China, and Western plants are closing one after another.

Chart: Illustration: Titanium dioxide

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Ilmenite and rutile sands are upgraded, then turned into pigment either by digesting in sulphuric acid or by chlorinating and burning the titanium chloride.

##### Three things to know

1. Over 1.1 Mt of Western supply shut between 2023 and late 2025, including Tronox's Botlek plant and Venator's insolvency.
2. India has only 91 kt of pigment capacity but imported 441 kt in 2024, making it the world's largest importer by value.
3. The sulphate route leaves about 3-4 t of iron sulphate and 6-8 t of spent acid for every tonne of pigment.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Mineral sands**Ilmenite and rutile dug from coasts
2. 2 **Upgrading**Smelted to slag or synthetic rutile
3. 3 **Pigment plant**Sulphate acid digestion or chloride route
4. 4 **Finishing**Milled and coated with alumina, silica
5. 5 **End use**Paint, plastics, paper and inks
 Covered in [Supply, demand and the cost curveCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/supply-demand-costs/)[The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[Heavy inorganics: salt, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorusChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/heavy-inorganic-chemicals/)[Colour and protection: dyes, pigments, paints and coatingsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/dyes-pigments-coatings/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/titanium_dioxide/links/index.md)