Titanium metal and titanium dioxide
World sponge metal production and sponge and pigment capacity, 2024–2025
Share of world titanium sponge production, 2025 · world total 370,000 metric tons
- China 70%
- Japan 14%
- Russia 6.8%
- Kazakhstan 4.3%
- Saudi Arabia 3.2%
- India under 0.1%
- Other countries 1%
China accounted for 70% of world titanium sponge production in 2025 (260,000 metric tons of 370,000 metric tons). The United States relied on net imports for all of its titanium metal and titanium dioxide consumption in 2025. The three largest producers, China, Japan, and Russia, together supplied 91%. Among the main producers, Russia changed most: −24% on 2024.
Producer log
13 countries listed separately
| Country | Titanium sponge production 2024 | Titanium sponge production 2025 | Share of world 2025 | Change on 2024 | Sponge capacity 2025 | Titanium dioxide pigment capacity 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 256,000 | 260,000 | 70% | +1.6% | 320,000 | 6,000,000 |
| Japan | 57,000 | 53,000 | 14% | −7% | 65,200 | 322,000 |
| Russia | 33,000 | 25,000 | 6.8% | −24% | 46,500 | 55,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 19,000 | 16,000 | 4.3% | −16% | 26,000 | 0 |
| Saudi Arabia | 14,000 | 12,000 | 3.2% | −14% | 15,600 | 200,000 |
| India | 300 | 300 | under 0.1% | 0% | 500 | 91,000 |
| United States | withheld | 0 | 0 | 1,360,000 | ||
| Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 260,000 | ||
| Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108,000 | ||
| Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 339,000 | ||
| Mexico | 0 | 0 | 0 | 350,000 | ||
| Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122,000 | ||
| United Kingdom | 0 | 0 | 0 | 165,000 | ||
| Other countries | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 540,000 | |
| World total | 380,000 | 370,000 | 100% | −2.6% | 470,000 | 9,900,000 |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption.
Import sources of sponge metal, 2021–24
- Japan 77%
- Saudi Arabia 13%
- Kazakhstan 8%
- Other countries 2%
Uses named for it in the 2025 critical minerals list: metallurgy and pigments.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium sponge metal: Production | W | W | W | W | — |
| Titanium sponge metal: Imports for consumption | 16,000 | 30,900 | 40,300 | 39,800 | 44,000 |
| Titanium sponge metal: Exports | 117 | 105 | 247 | 70 | 63 |
| Titanium sponge metal: Consumption, apparent | 15,900 | 30,800 | 40,100 | 39,800 | 44,000 |
| Titanium sponge metal: Consumption, reported | W | W | W | W | W |
| Titanium sponge metal: Stocks, industry, yearend | W | W | W | W | W |
| Titanium sponge metal: Employment, number | 20 | 20 | 20 | 10 | — |
| TiO2 pigment: Production | 1,150,000 | 1,150,000 | 910,000 | 940,000 | 1,000,000 |
| TiO2 pigment: Imports for consumption | 251,000 | 265,000 | 228,000 | 236,000 | 230,000 |
| TiO2 pigment: Exports | 494,000 | 378,000 | 288,000 | 358,000 | 330,000 |
| TiO2 pigment: Consumption, apparent | 907,000 | 1,040,000 | 850,000 | 818,000 | 900,000 |
| TiO2 pigment: Employment, number | 3,200 | 3,200 | 3,200 | 3,200 | 3,000 |
| TiO2 pigment: Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption | net exporter | net exporter | net exporter | net exporter | net exporter |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Titanium metal and titanium dioxide chapter (PDF page 204). How to read these figures.