Yunnan Xinli produces first batch of titanium sponge 10-18-2019

On October 5, 2019, Yunnan Xinli, Lomon Billions’ titanium sponge subsidiary, has produced the first batch of titanium sponge within its 10,000t/a titanium sponge production line. This is another big result after the 80kt/a production line of high titanium slag in Wuding Xinli Titanium Co., Ltd. successfully produced titanium slag and other side products. The first batch production of titanium sponge will break new ground in the whole production line process of ilmenite- titanium tetrachloride- titanium dioxide- titanium sponge- titanium alloy.


Titanium sponge is an essential material to produce titanium. Titanium products such as titanium ingots and titanium bars can be created after a process of refining titanium sponge. Furthermore, titanium sponge can be grated as titanium powder by machine and turn into titanium alloy power with the combination of other metals. Those titanium powders are also widely used on the surface of machine facilities and in the parts of digital meters as well as precision meters.


The past years have witnessed an increase in production of titanium sponge in China

During the past few years, the global economy has been rather stable, and therefore the demand of titanium has increased, especially in the aerospace industry, marine equipment enterprises, energy and biochemical industry, and the production of titanium sponge in China. Statistics show that the global designed capacity of titanium sponge is 370 thousand t/a, and in particular, the total designed capacity in China is 190 thousand t/a, accounting for 51% of the global designed capacity. In 2017, the total capacity of titanium sponge in China is 73 thousand tons, accounting for 36.5% of the global capacity, which is 200 thousand tons.


In the past ten years, titanium sponge production has increased and reached a plateau. In the recent two years, limited by factors pertaining to the market, to resources, and to environmental protection, the production grows slowly, and the price of titanium sponge also fluctuates.


Multi-industrial increase in titanium demand in China

Recently, the demand of titanium in several areas in China has increased. The need for titanium is growing in the aerospace industry in China. For example, the use of titanium in China’s newly developed C919 passenger aircraft has reached 9.3%. The sale volume of titanium sponge has risen from 72,922 tons in 2017 to 75,000 tons in 2018. The sale volume of Titanium Ingot and that of other titanium products were 74,000 tons and 64,000 tons in 2018, up from 71,022 tons and 55,404 tons in 2017, which is an increase of 4.19% and 15.5% respectively.


The marine engineering equipment industry is a newly developing industry in China and titanium alloy is a fundamental material to develop engineering equipment. It is estimated that China will use over 50,000 tons of titanium, at a value of USD 1.4 billion (RMB 10 billion), in ocean engineering in the coming ten to twenty years.


Titanium is also perfect for construction engineering and it can be used in different types of walls and roofs for resident houses and building. The use of titanium for walls and roofs account for 60% and 30% approximately. Also, according to statistics for titanium market in China, the use of titanium in vehicles is around 100 thousand to 150 thousand tons. The consumption volume in sports and leisure products is 2000t/a while the consumption volume in other civil markets is 4000t/a.


For more information about China’s titanium market, please have a look at our monthly newsletter Titanium Dioxide China Monthly Report.

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