Indo-Kazakh Joint Venture Company for Titanium

IREL signed an agreement with Kazakhstan’s Ust-Kamenogorsk Titanium and Magnesium Plant JSC (UKTMP JSC) to establish a joint venture company (JVC) named IREUK Titanium Limited.

About Joint Indo-Kazakh Joint Venture Company

JVC aims to develop the Titanium value chain in India by processing low-grade ilmenite (a titanium-iron oxide mineral) into high-grade Titanium Slag—a critical input for titanium production.
India Rare Earths Limited (IREL) is a public sector undertaking that mines and refines rare earth metals and other minerals. It is under administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

About Titanium

Titanium is a transition metal known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility.
Titanium is primarily obtained from two ores: ilmenite (FeTiO₃) and rutile (TiO₂).
The Kroll process is the most common method for extracting titanium from its ores.
Uses and Applications:
- Aerospace: Used extensively in aircraft components due to its strength and lightweight characteristics.
- Medical Devices: Used for surgical implants, artificial joints, dental implants and cardiac valves due to its biocompatibility.
- Industrial Applications: Used in piping systems, heat exchangers and chemical processing equipment due to its corrosion resistance.
- Consumer Products: Found in sports equipment (tennis rackets, golf clubs), jewellery and spectacle frames.
- Military Applications: Utilised in missile and naval vessels construction.

Facts

Ilmenite: The world’s largest reserves of ilmenite are in China (29% of the world’s total). Other countries with large ilmenite reserves include Australia, India, South Africa, and Brazil.
Rutile: Australia has the world’s largest reserves of rutile (50% of the world’s total). Other countries with large rutile reserves -South Africa, India and Sierra Leone.
India has significant titanium ore reserves in the beach sands along its coasts in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
India has 11% of the world’s titanium-iron deposits, but it still imports $1 billion worth of titanium dioxide annually, due to insufficient mining and processing of beach sand.