ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses Titanium Sources and Extraction Processes. Titanium, the 9th most abundant element on Earth, constitutes approximately 0.63% of the Earth's crust, trailing behind only a few elements such as oxygen, silicon, and iron in terms of abundance. Titanium oxide is commonly found in minerals, making up 15% to over 95% of their composition and widely distributed in rocks, soils, and various geological formations. Despite its abundance, titanium is not readily extractable from its ores, often bonded to other elements. Complex processing techniques, including smelting, roasting, and chemical separation, are employed to obtain pure titanium dioxide for industrial applications, contributing to its relatively higher production costs compared to more common metals. Over 140 minerals containing titanium have been identified, with rutile being one of the most prevalent. Pure metallic titanium was first obtained in 1910 through the Hunter Process, and small quantities were produced in 1925 via the van Arkel-de Boer process. William Justin Kroll later refined the extraction process, ultimately leading to the Kroll process, which is still the predominant commercial method for titanium production. Numerous other extraction routes have been explored, including electrolytic and metallothermic methods, with some showing promise, such as the FFC Cambridge process.
