Distribution of titanium resources in China
Titanium reserves on the earth are very rich. In the ten-kilometer-thick strata on the earth's surface, titanium is 6/1000, 61 times more than copper, and ranks tenth in the earth's crust (elements in the earth's crust: oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, hydrogen, titanium). Just grab a handful of soil from the ground, and it contains a few thousandths of titanium. Titanium ore with reserves of more than 10 million tons in the world is not rare.
1. Distribution of titanium resources in China
China's total titanium resources are 965 million tons, ranking first in the world, accounting for 38.85% of the world's proven reserves, mainly concentrated in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan. Among them, Panxi (Panzhihua Xichang) is China's largest titanium resource base, with a titanium resource of 870 million tons. China's proven titanium resources are distributed in 108 mining areas in 21 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities). The main production area is Sichuan, followed by Hebei, Hainan, Guangdong, Hubei, Guangxi, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Shanxi and other provinces (regions).
2. Titanium smelting
Titanium is a rare metal. In fact, titanium is not rare. Its abundance in the earth's crust ranks seventh, accounting for 0.45%, which is much higher than many common metals. However, due to the active nature of titanium and the high requirements for smelting technology, people have been unable to produce a large amount of titanium for a long time, so it is classified as a "rare" metal. The minerals used to smelt titanium are mainly ilmenite (FeTiO3) and rutile (TiO2). The ore is treated to obtain volatile titanium tetrachloride, which is then reduced with magnesium to obtain pure titanium.
3. Titanium ore
The main ores of titanium are rutile TiO2 and ilmenite FeTiO3, and its discovery comes from the analysis of these two ores. As early as 1791, Gregor, a pastor of Menacan Parish in Cornwall, southwest England, was also a scientist. When analyzing a black ore produced in his parish, which is the ore of ilmenite today, he discovered a new metal substance and named it menacenite. Three years later, in 1795, Klaproth analyzed the rutile produced in the Boinik region of Hungary and realized that it was an oxide of a new metal that had the characteristics of resisting acid and alkaline solutions. He named the metal titanium after the Titans, the first sons of the earth in Greek mythology, and the element symbol was set as Ti. Two years later, Klaproth confirmed that the menacenite discovered by Gregor was titanium.
1> Titanium magnetite rock ore
The main deposits are distributed in Yanbian Hongge and Miyi Baima in Panzhihua, Sichuan Province, Taihe in Xichang; Damiao and Heishan in Chengde, Hebei Province, Zhaobinggou in Fengning, Nantianmen in Chongli; Tongyu in Zuoquan, Shanxi Province; Bijigou in Yangxian, Shaanxi Province; Weiya in Xinjiang; Zhaoanzhuang in Wuyang, Henan Province; Xialan in Xingning, Guangdong Province; Huma in Heilongjiang Province; Shangzhuang in Changping, Beijing and Xindi in Huairou. Among them, Sichuan Province's on-balance sheet reserves (TiO2 442.5632 million tons) account for 95.1% of the national similar reserves (TiO2 465.2283 million tons), Hebei Province (TiO2 15.4446 million tons) account for 3.3%, Shaanxi Province accounts for 0.46%, and Shanxi Province accounts for 0.35%.
2> Rutile rock ore
The main deposits are distributed in Dafushan, Zaoyang, Hubei Province; Nianzigou, Dai County, Shanxi Province; Yangchong, Xin County, Henan Province; Liujiazhuang, Laixi County, Shandong Province. Among them, Hubei Province's on-balance sheet reserves of rutile (TiO2) (5.3443 million tons) account for 71.2% of the national similar reserves (7.5086 million tons), Shanxi Province (1.5479 million tons) account for 20.6%, and Shaanxi Province (444,000 tons) account for 5.9%.
China's titanium resources are not only abundant in reserves, but also the level of development and utilization is constantly improving. With the advancement of science and technology and the upgrading of the industry, China's titanium industry has gradually formed a complete industrial chain from titanium ore mining to titanium dioxide, sponge titanium, titanium materials and other deep-processing products. Especially in the field of titanium dioxide and sponge titanium, China's production and export volume are among the highest in the world, making an important contribution to the development of the global titanium industry.
