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The TiO2 industry is an integrated global business that has grown rapidly since the first production of TiO2 pigment in 1919. It is one of the world’s largest inorganic chemical businesses, ranking only behind ammonia and phosphoric acid. The TiO2 pigment industry is a US$9 billion industry. TiO2 demand has been recently forecast, by some industry analysts, to grow at an average rate of 2.5% over the next five years.

The current outlook for pigment demand is better than it has been for a number of years, due mainly to the very rapid and continuing industrialisation of China. With the majority of global pigment producers running at capacity, expansion of existing production facilities is being considered by a number of producers. Added to this are recent announcements of new buildings in China by existing producers and when coupled with studies for the construction of a world scale plant in that country, will result in continuing demand for feedstock to service the increased demand.

Australia is the world’s largest supplier to the global titanium feedstock industry and is also the leading supplier of zircon to the ceramics, refractory and foundry industries.

Whilst mineral sand production in Australia from existing mines will decline over coming years, due to depletion of viable mining reserves in Western Australia, new mines in the Murray Basin and production facilities are on line and some are under construction to fill this shortfall in supply and will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of global supplies.

The Murray Basin has a number of advantages over projects awaiting development in both other parts of Australia and in other countries, including low political and sovereign risk, and a sophisticated mining environment with well-developed infrastructure.