China has become the third largest titanium consumer in the world

China has been engaged in titanium research and development for over 40 years. With its rapid development of titanium industry, a complete industrial system has evolved, and China has become the fourth largest country in terms of titanium industry globally, only after the United States , Russia and Japan .

The country has made considerable progress in scientific study, production and application of titanium, and has so far acquired industrialized production capacity of sponge titanium, titanium processed products and castings and established two complete systems of titanium mine?metallurgy?processing?equipment manufacturing and of titanium research?design?application. It has become an important titanium industrial country in Asia as well as in the world. China has developed a unique titanium R&D system and management method of its own, and currently has more than 1,000 scientific personnel engaging in titanium R&D.

China abounds in titanium resources and the mineral reserve is comparatively concentrated, with total reserve exceeding nine billion tons, ranking first in the world. Titanium ore reserve is mainly distributed in Sichuan , Yunnan , Guangdong , Guangxi, and Hainan . However, compared with the world ' s major titanium producing places, China ' s rutile reserve is limited and the placer deposits that can be easily exploited are few. Most of the titanium reserve in China is titanium?vanadium?iron intergrowth ores, which are hard to dress and boast high dressing cost.

A complete production system of titanium concentrate, titanium white, sponge titanium, titanium processed products, titanium casting, and titanium powder metallurgical equipment manufacturing has taken shape in China . There are backbone enterprises including Baoji Titanium Industry, Panzhihua Steel Titanium Industry Company, Zunyi Titanium Plant, West China Titanium Company, Shanghai No. 5 Steel Company, and Nanjing Baose Titanium Co. Ltd. China has so far acquired an annual production capacity of 400,000 tons of titanium concentrate, 7,000 tons of sponge titanium, over 7,000 tons of titanium products and 1,000 tons of titanium casting, powder and equipment.

High?speed development of the Chinese economy has propped up strong demand for titanium processed products by chemical, sports, power, aviation and aerospace, vacuum salt processing, construction and metallurgical industries, which in turn has boosted rapid growth of China ' s titanium industry. China produced 4,809 tons of sponge titanium and 8,513 tons of titanium processed products in 2004, up 17% and 31.2% year on year respectively. In addition, the country ' s demand for titanium processed products was 10,629 tons in the year, up 41.6%. China has become the third largest titanium consumer in the world, after the United States and Europe .

The Chinese government is promoting development of science and technology of the titanium industry by various channels. It has endorsed the ?§ Climbing Programme ?¨ , the State Natural Science Fund Programme, and the ?§ 863 ?¨ high?tech development plan to promote basic study and technological innovation of the titanium industry; it has passed the five?year ?§ scientific key task programme ?¨ and key engineering technology development project to develop practical titanium alloy new materials and applicable new technology; it has launched a State key laboratory programme and the State engineering (technological) research centers to improve research conditions and train senior research personnel; it has adopted the enterprise renovation programme to promote technical upgrading of key enterprises. Furthermore, the Chinese government encourages various domestic and international academic exchanges and international cooperation in scientific research.

In fact, some China?made titanium products have obtained quality certification from some big renowned companies including Boeing of the United States , Rolls?Royce of Britain and Aerospatiale of France, and China?made sponge titanium, titanium products and casting and plates have been exported. Some Chinese aviation factories have even contracted to produce airborne components for foreign airlines.

After more than 40 years ' effort, China has developed more than 70 kinds of titanium alloys, of which more than 50 kinds have been listed in State standards. In the past few years, the focus of China ' s titanium alloy research is mainly on high?temperature, high?strength, aerial corrosion?resistance, low?cost, fire?proof, low?temperature, and medical titanium alloys.

China ' s titanium industry has been in a rapid growth period in the past few years, and the annual output of titanium processed products and other titanium products has grown by about 30% for five consecutive years. China currently makes up over 10% of the world ' s total titanium products output, as against 2?3% in the past.