Titanium (Ti): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Titanium metal is made as sponge from titanium mineral concentrates and goes mostly into aerospace, while most of the mineral concentrates are consumed as titanium dioxide pigment. In 2025 China produced an estimated 260,000 t, 70% of world sponge production (USGS world total: 370,000 t), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for titanium in 2025 was 100%. Titanium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian.
70%
of world sponge production came from China in 2025
Which countries produce titanium?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 256,000 | 260,000 | 70% |
| Japan | 57,000 | 53,000 | 14% |
| Russia | 33,000 | 25,000 | 6.8% |
| Kazakhstan | 19,000 | 16,000 | 4.3% |
| Saudi Arabia | 14,000 | 12,000 | 3.2% |
| India | 300 | 300 | <0.1% |
| United States | NA | Withheld | - |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 380,000 | 370,000 | 100% |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Titanium and titanium dioxide. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data.
How is titanium mined and processed?
Titanium sponge metal is made from titanium mineral concentrates. Ilmenite accounts for about 90% of the world's consumption of titanium minerals, and ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile, slag and synthetic rutile compete as feedstocks. Full page on how titanium is mined and processed.
What is titanium used for?
- Aerospace: the majority of titanium metal
- Armor, chemical processing, marine hardware, medical implants and power generation: the remainder of titanium metal
- Titanium dioxide pigment: in descending order paints (including lacquers and varnishes), plastics and paper; also catalysts, ceramics, coated fabrics, floor coverings, printing ink and roofing granules
- Mineral concentrates: more than 95% are consumed by titanium dioxide pigment producers; the rest goes to welding-rod coatings, carbides, chemicals and titanium metal
How much does titanium cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium sponge metal | dollars per kilogram | 11.10 | 11.10 | 12.30 | 13.30 | 12 |
| Titanium dioxide pigment | dollars per metric ton | 2,920 | 3,450 | 3,240 | 3,170 | 3,200 |
| Rutile, bulk, minimum 95% TiO2, free on board (f.o.b.) Australia | dollars per metric ton | 1,300 | 1,470 | 1,460 | 1,300 | 1,140 |
| Ilmenite and leucoxene, bulk, f.o.b. Australia | dollars per metric ton | 595 | 530 | 389 | 497 | 400 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Titanium and titanium dioxide. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
Is titanium a critical mineral?
Titanium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Critical and strategic |
| Australia | Critical minerals list |
| Canada | Critical |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
What are the substitutes for titanium?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| High-strength applications | Aluminum, composites, intermetallics, steel and superalloys compete with titanium; few materials match its strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance |
| Corrosion resistance | Aluminum, nickel, specialty steels and zirconium alloys |
| White pigment | Ground and precipitated calcium carbonate, kaolin and talc compete with titanium dioxide |
| Pigment, metal and welding-rod feedstock | Ilmenite, leucoxene, rutile, slag and synthetic rutile compete as feedstocks |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Titanium and titanium dioxide. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can titanium be recycled?
USGS withheld consumption data for titanium scrap in the titanium metal industry because of limited survey responses. US imports of titanium scrap were an estimated 32,000 tons in 2025, mainly from the United Kingdom (19%), France and Japan (10% each), and Germany, the Republic of Korea and Singapore (9% each).
What are the supply risks and recent events for titanium?
- 2025. The United States produced no titanium sponge metal. The last domestic sponge plant, in Utah with about 500 tons per year of capacity, closed in 2024; a 12,600-ton plant in Henderson, Nevada has been idle since 2020 and a 10,900-ton plant in Rowley, Utah since 2016.
- 2025. US sponge imports were an estimated 44,000 tons, above the previous high of 40,300 tons in 2023. Through July the sources were Japan (73%), Kazakhstan (13%) and Saudi Arabia (13%).
- 2025. A Virginia company began commercial production of titanium powder from scrap in late 2024 with US Government funding, aiming for 1,400 tons per year in 2027. China is the leading producer and consumer of titanium mineral concentrates, with about one-third of global ilmenite production.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Sponge metal: Japan, 77%; Saudi Arabia, 13%; Kazakhstan, 8%; and other, 2%. Titanium dioxide pigment: Canada, 45%; China, 11%; Germany, 7%; Mexico, 7%; and other, 30%. Mineral concentrates: South Africa, 26%; Canada, 16%; Madagascar, 16%; Mozambique, 13%; and other, 29%. (USGS)
Which titanium projects are on official lists?
| Project | Country | Promoter | Stage | List |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUERN | France | Aubert & Duval SAS | Processing | EU, October 2026 |
| Titanium alloys made in Europe | Germany | Isabellenhütte Heusler GmbH & Co. KG | Integrated | EU, October 2026 |
| CRM4Defence | Italy, Poland, United Kingdom and France | Leonardo S.p.A. | Recycling | EU, October 2026 |
Source: annexes to Commission Decisions C(2025) 1904, C(2025) 3491 and C(2026) 8051. The Commission calls every listed project ongoing; that is not the same as operating. A project is listed here for each material the annex names for it.
Which companies produce or process titanium?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tronox | Australia and South Africa (mines) | Titanium feedstock and TiO2 pigment producer (NYSE: TROX) | Its 10-K calls Tronox the world's leading vertically integrated manufacturer of TiO2 pigment, says it operates titanium mineral sand mines, beneficiation and smelting in Australia and South Africa, and gives annual capacity of about 832,000 metric tons of titanium feedstock: 182,000 of rutile and leucoxene, 240,000 of synthetic rutile and 410,000 of slag. Tronox, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 20 February 2026) |
| Rio Tinto | Canada and South Africa | Titanium dioxide slag producer (LSE: RIO; ASX: RIO; NYSE: RIO) | Its fourth-quarter 2025 operations review gives titanium dioxide slag production of 975 thousand tonnes in 2025 against 990 thousand in 2024, covering 100% of Rio Tinto Fer et Titane and its 74% interest in Richards Bay Minerals. Rio Tinto: fourth quarter 2025 operations review (21 January 2026) |
| IperionX | United States (Virginia) | Titanium powder maker using recycled titanium (Nasdaq: IPX; ASX: IPX) | Its March 2026 quarterly report says it made about 4.2 metric tons of titanium powder in March, equivalent to roughly 50 tonnes a year, targets about 200 tonnes a year by the end of 2026, and describes a US Government supported expansion toward 1,400 tonnes a year in 2027 backed by a US$47.1 million award. IperionX: March 2026 quarterly report (27 April 2026) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is titanium used for?
Titanium is used in aerospace, armor, chemical processing, marine hardware, medical implants and power generation and titanium dioxide pigment. Aerospace: the majority of titanium metal.
Which country produces the most titanium?
China produces the most titanium: an estimated 260,000 t, or 70% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS sponge production figures.
Is titanium a critical mineral?
Yes. Titanium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Titanium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for titanium in 2025 was 100%.
How much does titanium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of titanium at $12/kg (titanium sponge metal; -10% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Titanium and titanium dioxide. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Titanium mineral concentrates
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Tronox, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 20 February 2026)
- Rio Tinto: fourth quarter 2025 operations review (21 January 2026)
- IperionX: March 2026 quarterly report (27 April 2026)
Related topics
How Titanium is mined and refined
The mining and processing page for titanium.
China profile
Production, policy and projects in China.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Chromium
Profile of chromium.
Hafnium
Profile of hafnium.
Niobium
Profile of niobium.
