Soaring from the pigments in our paints to the alloys in jet engines, the titanium industry is a titan of global manufacturing, as evidenced by over 8 million metric tons of titanium dioxide produced in 2022 and aerospace accounting for over half of the world's titanium demand.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, global production of titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment reached 8.2 million metric tons, driven primarily by the paints and coatings sector.
- China accounted for 58% of world titanium sponge production in 2022, producing approximately 120,000 metric tons out of a global total of 207,000 metric tons.
- Russia's VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation produced 38,500 metric tons of titanium sponge in 2022, representing about 18.6% of global output.
- Global aerospace titanium consumption reached 65,000 metric tons in 2022, representing 54% of total demand.
- The medical sector consumed 12,000 metric tons of titanium mill products in 2022.
- Industrial applications accounted for 25% of global titanium consumption, or about 30,000 metric tons in 2022.
- Average titanium sponge price in US was $8.50 per kg in Q4 2022.
- Global TiO2 pigment price averaged $3,200 per metric ton in 2022.
- Rutile 95% TiO2 CFR China price reached $1,450 per ton in Dec 2022.
- Aerospace sector uses 50-55% of all titanium mill products globally.
- Titanium dioxide pigments constitute 95% of total titanium consumption by volume.
- Medical implants and devices utilize Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI) titanium alloy predominantly.
- World identified titanium reserves total 1.1 billion metric tons of contained TiO2 in 2022.
- Australia holds 28% of global titanium reserves, or 310 million tons TiO2 equivalent.
- China's titanium reserves estimated at 230 million tons TiO2, ranking second globally.
China dominates titanium sponge production, with aerospace driving over half of global demand.
Applications and End-Uses
- Aerospace sector uses 50-55% of all titanium mill products globally.
- Titanium dioxide pigments constitute 95% of total titanium consumption by volume.
- Medical implants and devices utilize Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI) titanium alloy predominantly.
- In aircraft engines, titanium accounts for 20% of weight but enables 40% fuel efficiency gains.
- Paints and coatings sector consumes 4.7 million tons of TiO2 annually for opacity.
- Titanium heat exchangers in desalination plants save 30% energy due to corrosion resistance.
- Additive manufacturing uses titanium powders for 20% of all metal 3D prints in aerospace.
- Golf club heads made from titanium alloys comprise 80% of premium market.
- Titanium valves in oil & gas withstand H2S environments up to 30% longer than steel.
- Plastics masterbatch uses 23% of TiO2 for UV protection and whiteness.
- Orthopedic screws and plates from commercially pure titanium Grades 1-4 used in 70% of surgeries.
- Submarine hulls incorporate 15-20% titanium for stealth and strength.
- Eyewear frames from beta titanium alloys offer 50% weight reduction vs steel.
- Power plant condensers use titanium tubing for 99.9% seawater corrosion resistance.
- Ti-6Al-4V alloy used in 90% of aerospace airframe fasteners.
- Paper industry employs 10% of TiO2 production for brightness enhancement.
- Titanium bike frames provide strength-to-weight ratio 2x better than aluminum.
- Chemical reactors lined with titanium handle 80% of chlorine production safely.
- Dental implants success rate with Grade 4 titanium exceeds 95% over 10 years.
- Jet engine compressor blades from Ti-6Al-4V endure 1,000°C and 10,000 cycles.
- Automotive connecting rods in racing cars use forged titanium for 40% weight savings.
- Sunscreens incorporate nano-TiO2 for 90% UV-B blocking without white cast.
- Offshore platforms' risers from titanium alloys resist fatigue 5x longer.
- Sporting goods like tennis rackets use 15% titanium for vibration damping.
- Marine propellers cast in titanium reduce fuel consumption by 10%.
- Electronics use titanium sputtering targets for 30% of semiconductor films.
- Architecture employs anodized titanium panels for 50-year color retention.
Applications and End-Uses Interpretation
Titanium: the element that stylishly paints your walls, invisibly armors our submarines, and brilliantly propels our jets, all while holding your bones and teeth together with a success rate that would make any other material blush with envy.
Consumption and Demand
- Global aerospace titanium consumption reached 65,000 metric tons in 2022, representing 54% of total demand.
- The medical sector consumed 12,000 metric tons of titanium mill products in 2022.
- Industrial applications accounted for 25% of global titanium consumption, or about 30,000 metric tons in 2022.
- US apparent consumption of titanium mill products was 28,000 metric tons in 2022.
- China's titanium sponge consumption was 130,000 metric tons in 2022, up 8% YoY.
- Global demand for titanium dioxide pigment was 8.1 million tons in 2022, with coatings at 58%.
- Aerospace titanium demand is projected to grow to 78,000 tons by 2027 at 3.7% CAGR.
- Europe's titanium mill products consumption fell 5% to 22,000 tons in 2022 due to energy costs.
- Japan's titanium ingot consumption for aerospace was 18,000 tons in 2022.
- Global consumer goods titanium use (eyewear, golf clubs) was 5,000 tons in 2022.
- US titanium sponge consumption rose to 29,000 tons in 2022 from imports.
- World TiO2 consumption in plastics was 1.9 million tons in 2022.
- Russia's titanium exports met 40% of global aerospace demand in 2022.
- Global titanium powder consumption for additive manufacturing reached 2,500 tons in 2022.
- India's titanium consumption grew 10% to 15,000 tons in FY2022-23.
- Automotive titanium use worldwide was 4,200 tons in 2022, mainly exhaust systems.
- Global energy sector (oil & gas) consumed 8,000 tons of titanium in 2022.
- Boeing and Airbus together consumed 35,000 tons of titanium in 2022.
- China's industrial titanium demand was 45,000 tons in 2022.
- World paper & board TiO2 consumption was 900,000 tons in 2022.
- Medical implants used 9,500 tons of titanium globally in 2022.
- Global titanium scrap recycling met 40% of demand, or 80,000 tons in 2022.
- Aerospace aftermarket services consumed 15,000 tons of titanium in 2022.
- US defense sector titanium use was 10,000 tons in FY2022.
- Global inks TiO2 demand was 400,000 tons in 2022.
- Titanium demand in chemical processing plants was 6,500 tons worldwide in 2022.
Consumption and Demand Interpretation
While global titanium demand is soaring to unprecedented heights, propelled by a voracious aerospace sector that now consumes over half of the precious metal, its diverse applications paint a more complex picture, where its enduring strength equally safeguards both fragile human bodies in the medical field and the precarious global supply chain, which found itself precariously reliant on a few key producers like Russia for aerospace-grade material.
Pricing and Trade
- Average titanium sponge price in US was $8.50 per kg in Q4 2022.
- Global TiO2 pigment price averaged $3,200 per metric ton in 2022.
- Rutile 95% TiO2 CFR China price reached $1,450 per ton in Dec 2022.
- Titanium sponge 0-1/4 inch Grade 0 US West Coast price was $7.75-$8.25/lb in 2022.
- Ilmenite 54% TiO2 FOB Australia price averaged $250 per ton in 2022.
- Titanium ingot 6AL-4V ELI aerospace grade price was $25-30/kg in 2022.
- Chinese titanium sponge export price to Japan was RMB 45,000/ton in 2022.
- US titanium scrap 6AL-4V turnings price averaged $4.50/lb in 2022.
- Titanium dioxide sulfate process China domestic price was 15,000 RMB/ton in 2022.
- Global titanium slab 6-4 plate price increased 15% to $18/kg in 2022.
- Rutile South Africa FOB price was $1,200/ton average in 2022.
- Titanium weld wire 6AL-4V price reached $35/kg in Europe 2022.
- Synthetic rutile Australia FOB price averaged $650/ton in 2022.
- US imports of unwrought titanium valued at $1.2 billion in 2022.
- Titanium billet 3-5 inch dia 6AL-4V price was $20-22/kg in 2022.
- Global TiO2 chloride process price premium was $500/ton over sulfate in 2022.
- Russian titanium sponge export price to US was $9/kg in 2022 before sanctions.
- Titanium powder HDH Grade 5 price averaged $150/kg in 2022.
- Ilmenite China import price CFR was $280/ton in late 2022.
- US titanium mill products exports totaled $450 million in 2022.
- Titanium sheet 6AL-4V 0.025 inch price was $45/kg in 2022.
- Global titanium scrap market value reached $2.5 billion in 2022.
- TiO2 anatase grade price in India was INR 180/kg in 2022.
- Titanium bar 6AL-4V AMS 4928 price $28-32/kg US 2022.
- World titanium trade volume was 150,000 tons unwrought in 2022.
- Titanium tube seamless 6AL-4V price $100/kg average 2022.
- Titanium slag 85% TiO2 China price RMB 3,500/ton 2022.
- US average value of titanium imports $45/kg in 2022.
- Aerospace titanium fasteners price increased 20% to $50/kg in 2022.
- Global rutile concentrate export value $1.1 billion in 2022.
Pricing and Trade Interpretation
While the raw ores may be cheap, the true cost of titanium is in the alchemy that transforms it from sponge into the high-priced, high-performance alloys that keep our planes in the sky and our satellites on orbit.
Production Statistics
- In 2022, global production of titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment reached 8.2 million metric tons, driven primarily by the paints and coatings sector.
- China accounted for 58% of world titanium sponge production in 2022, producing approximately 120,000 metric tons out of a global total of 207,000 metric tons.
- Russia's VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation produced 38,500 metric tons of titanium sponge in 2022, representing about 18.6% of global output.
- Japan produced 35,000 metric tons of titanium sponge in 2022, maintaining its position as the third-largest producer globally.
- The United States imported 92% of its titanium sponge needs in 2022, totaling 26,000 metric tons from various countries.
- Global rutile production in 2022 was 340,000 metric tons, with Australia leading at 130,000 metric tons.
- Ilmenite production worldwide reached 7.4 million metric tons in 2022, with South Africa contributing 1.1 million metric tons.
- In 2021, global titanium sponge production was 202,000 metric tons, up 2% from 2020.
- Kazakhstan's Ust-Kamenogorsk Titanium and Magnesium Plant produced 22,000 metric tons of sponge in 2022.
- India's KMML produced 6,500 metric tons of titanium sponge in FY 2022-23.
- Global titanium ingot production in 2022 exceeded 250,000 metric tons, with aerospace-grade material comprising 60%.
- Ukraine's production of titanium sponge fell to 1,200 metric tons in 2022 due to geopolitical conflicts.
- Australia's ilmenite production from mineral sands was 1.2 million metric tons in 2022.
- Sierra Rutile in Sierra Leone produced 120,000 metric tons of rutile in 2022.
- Global synthetic rutile production reached 450,000 metric tons in 2022.
- China's sulfate-process TiO2 production capacity was 4.5 million metric tons in 2022.
- Europe's chloride-process TiO2 plants produced 1.8 million metric tons in 2022.
- US TiO2 production via chloride process was 1.2 million metric tons in 2022.
- Global titanium slag production hit 1.9 million metric tons in 2022, used for high-grade TiO2 feedstock.
- Norway's TiZir Titanium & Iron produced 140,000 metric tons of titanium slag in 2022.
- South Africa's RBM produced 300,000 metric tons of titanium slag in 2022.
- In 2020, world titanium sponge output was 197,000 metric tons, with China at 57% share.
- Japan's Toho Titanium produced 9,000 metric tons of sponge in 2022.
- US TIMET produced 12,000 metric tons of titanium sponge equivalent in 2022.
- Global production of titanium dioxide slag intermediates was 2.1 million tons in 2021.
- Mozambique's Mibra mine produced 100,000 tons of ilmenite in 2022.
- Canada's QIT-Fer et Titane produced 220,000 tons of TiO2 slag in 2022.
- Global titanium sponge capacity utilization was 78% in 2022.
- Vietnam's titanium mineral production reached 150,000 tons in 2022.
- World titanium dioxide production capacity stood at 9.5 million metric tons in 2022.
Production Statistics Interpretation
The global titanium industry paints a starkly geopolitical picture where China dominates the supply chain, the US is almost entirely dependent on imports, and while the world's paints get brighter, its strategic dependencies get riskier.
Reserves and Resources
- World identified titanium reserves total 1.1 billion metric tons of contained TiO2 in 2022.
- Australia holds 28% of global titanium reserves, or 310 million tons TiO2 equivalent.
- China's titanium reserves estimated at 230 million tons TiO2, ranking second globally.
- India has 85 million tons of titanium reserves, primarily ilmenite in coastal sands.
- South Africa's Richards Bay Minerals area contains 1.3 billion tons of heavy mineral sands ore.
- Global rutile reserves stand at 43 million tons, with Sierra Leone holding 7%.
- US titanium reserves are 8 million tons TiO2, mostly in Virginia and Florida.
- Mozambique's titanium resources exceed 200 million tons in mineral sands.
- Canada's Quebec region has 100 million tons of ilmenite reserves at Lac Tio.
- Ukraine's Irshansk deposit holds 20 million tons of ilmenite ore.
- Australia's Murray Basin has 11 billion tons of resource at 1% heavy minerals.
- Vietnam's titanium beach sand reserves estimated at 50 million tons.
- Greenland's White Mountain has 1.1 billion tons of anorthosite with 7% TiO2.
- Russia's Central Asian deposits contain 150 million tons TiO2 reserves.
- Brazil's titanium resources in heavy minerals sands total 30 million tons.
- Norway's Tellnes mine has 32 million tons ilmenite reserves.
- Senegal's Grande Cote has 100 million tons mineral sands reserves.
- Madagascar's QMM mine reserves 80 million tons heavy minerals.
- Global leucoxene resources add 50 million tons high-grade TiO2 equivalent.
- India's Odisha beach sands hold 25 million tons ilmenite reserves.
Reserves and Resources Interpretation
It seems Mother Nature went all-in on beachfront property for titanium, with Australia holding the winning hand while the rest of us are scrambling for a spot in the sand.
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