Resources

Titanium Dioxide:

  • Prized for its ultra-white colour, ability to scatter light and UV-resistance, TiO2 is a popular ingredient, and a $10 billion industry, appearing in hundreds of products we see and use every day, bringing significant benefits to our economy and overall quality of life.

    It is the whitest and brightest of known pigments, with reflective qualities; it can also both scatter and absorb UV rays.

  • Titanium dioxide and titanium are both widely used materials, with applications spanning over a broad spectrum of industries. TiO2 pigments account for 94% of mineral sales.

    ● Paints, coatings and plastics
    ● Cosmetics and skin care
    ● Adhesives
    ● Textiles and ceramics
    ● Roofing materials
    ● Toothpaste & soap
    ● Pharmaceuticals
    ● Automotive products

  • ● The top five TiO2 producers make up roughly 40% of the global market: Chemours (spin-out from DuPont) Cristal, Huntsman, Tronox and Kronox.

    ● China represents about 40% of global capacity, or about 4.5 million metric tonne.

    ● Global TiO2 capacity has grown 7% per year on average for the past five years from 7 million metric tonnes to 8.6 million metric tons and demand has probably been growing at rates closer to GDP growth.

    ● Demand growth has historically averaged 3% and emerging markets represent 70-80% of annual growth. The global TiO2 market represents sales of about USD 20 billion, with paints and coatings accounting for about 50% of demand.

    ● The TiO2 customer base has consolidated. According to DuPont, the top 10 coating customers represent roughly 50% of global demand.

    ● Demand expected to double by 2023

Ilmenite concentrate:

  • Ilmenite concentrate had a wide range of uses that is based on its underlying content of TIO2

  • Low-TiO2 content ilmenite (35% to 50% TiO2) is generally used for economic titanium slag production

  • Consumers of ilmenite concentrate will either convert the product to titanium slag or synthetic rutile

Iron Ore/Pig Iron/Steel:

  • ● Pig iron is produced by smelting or iron ore in blast furnaces or by smelting ilmenite in electric furnaces.

    ● Pig iron is supplied in a variety of ingot sizes and weights, ranging from 3 kg up to more than 50 kg.

  • ● Almost all (98%) iron ore is used in steelmaking.
    ● Steel is used to make:
    ● Automobiles
    ● Locomotives
    ● Ships
    ● It is the most-used metal by both tonnage and purpose.

  • ● Long-term demand for steel expected to continue to grow due to supply breaks in the supply chain with direct off-take to Europe and North America

    ● Recent surge of activity and price increases

Vanadium Pentoxide & Vanadium Metal:

  • ● Around 80% of the vanadium produced is alloyed with iron to make a shock- and corrosion-resistant steel additive called ferro vanadium

    ● By 2025, it’s estimated that 85% of all automobiles will incorporate vanadium alloy to reduce their weight, thereby increasing their fuel efficiency to conform to stringent fuel economy standards set by the US EPA.

    ● Henry Ford was the first to use vanadium on an industrial scale, in the 1908 Model T car chassis. But it is only recently that auto makers have discovered that adding vanadium to car bodies makes them lighter and stronger.

  • Vanadium Metal:

    ● Vanadium-steel alloys are used to make extremely tough tools such as, space vehicles, car gears, nuclear reactors and aircraft carriers.
    ● In the medical sphere, vanadium is used to treat a number of ailments, including diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol. It has also been used in the cathodes of batteries for implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

    Vanadium Pentoxide:

    New demand is emerging from next generation vanadium pentoxide industrial rechargeable batteries. It is also used as a substance that permanently fixes dyes to fabrics. When mixed with aluminum and titanium, vanadium can create a very strong alloy that is used for special applications such as dental implants and jet engines.

  • ● 85% of demand (and growing) is from various forms for strengthening steel.

    ● China is mandating higher quality vanadium products
    ● The market has 4 major vanadium producers namely Rhovan, VVP, and China. Other role players include Teibacher and Windamurra

    ● World vanadium consumption has grown at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2001 to 2014

Phosphate:

Demand in the agribusiness, fertilizers is at new highs as populations increase