# Titanium

Mostly a white pigment for paint, paper and plastics, and in small volumes a light, strong metal for aircraft.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/

Tech & minor metals · No. 32

- EU strategic
- EU critical 2023
- US critical 2025
- India critical 2023
- HHI 1,987 · moderately concentrated
 Tech & minor metals · Foundation · Matter

Most titanium never becomes metal: over 95% of US titanium concentrates end up as white pigment in paint and plastics.

Chart: Illustration: Titanium

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Most titanium comes from ilmenite and rutile in heavy-mineral sands dredged from old beaches and dunes, with zircon as a coproduct. Some is smelted from hard rock in Canada and South Africa.

##### Three things to know

1. China held about 6.0 Mt of the world's 9.9 Mt of TiO2 pigment capacity in 2025.
2. US titanium sponge imports hit a record 44,000 t in 2025, after the last US sponge plant shut in 2024.
3. Primary titanium metal made on China's grid emits about 37.3 t CO2e per tonne; recycled ingot, as little as 0.2 t.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Mineral sands**Ilmenite and rutile from old beaches
2. 2 **Concentrate**Ilmenite and rutile separated
3. 3 **Upgrading**Smelted to slag or synthetic rutile
4. 4 **Pigment**Chloride or sulfate process to TiO2
5. 5 **Metal**Kroll sponge, then ingot for aircraft
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##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/titanium/links/index.md)