Development status of the CSIR-Ti Process

Abstract

South Africa is endowed with significant titanium-bearing reserves, which are concentrated to produce slag and exported as a low-value commodity, meeting about 20% of the global demand for the production of titanium dioxide pigment. Compared to the well-established titanium pigment industry, the much smaller titanium metals industry holds significant growth potential. Titanium metal is however notoriously difficult to refine from its abundant ores, and machining titanium is known to be challenging. Titanium usage is thus limited to niche applications in aerospace, defence, medical and chemical industries. Titanium powder produced at low cost promises a paradigm shift in titanium market size. Titanium powder has not been produced directly at commercial scale from titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), which is the precursor for both pigment and metal production. The Titanium Centre of Competence (TiCOC) at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has as its aim the establishment of a titanium metals industry in South Africa. To this end research and development work is being conducted towards the commercialisation of the CSIR-Ti process, a potentially cost-effective method for titanium metal production. This article discusses the history of the CSIR-Ti process for titanium metal powder production, challenges addressed, current development status and the unique products achieved.