Special Report: There’s a critical mineral that’s been flying well below the radar – even though it’s literally right under our noses and is in red hot demand from a broad spectrum of industries.
The majority of titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used for white pigments in paint and plastics, including recycled plastics. That’s the main sector driving TiO2’s forecast Compound Annual Growth Rate of 6.3% per annum to 2030, reports Grand View Research.
TiO2 is also used in a shopping list of products many of us use daily such as sunscreen, light-reflecting makeup, gym equipment and joint replacements.
Adding to demand is the increasing use of titanium in cars and aerospace as it is stronger and lighter than steel. Ongoing advances in industrial-scale 3D printing of titanium components is further boosting the metal’s appeal in aerospace, biomedicine and chemical engineering.
TiO2 is also essential to renewable energy technology, for example boosting the efficiency and durability of photovoltaic cells. Meanwhile a lot of exciting work is being done to commercially develop sodium titanate batteries due to their financial, environmental and safety benefits compared to more costly and highly flammable lithium-ion batteries.
In other sectors, new applications for titanium nanoparticles and thin film titanium – already used in high-tech antifogging coatings, self-cleaning windows and waste water treatment tech – are being developed.
And with titanium being complicated to recycle, new titanium projects are crucial to fulfill global supply needs.
Resouro to the rescue
One of the world’s largest undeveloped titanium projects is Resouro’s Tiros in Brazil’s powerhouse mining state of Minas Gerais.
But it’s not just a top tier TiO2 opportunity. Tiros additionally has returned rare earth oxide grades comparable to the best clay style deposits in the world.
Latest assay results from the 450sqkm project have demonstrated the consistency of world-class grades across large distances and outside where Resouro is doing highly encouraging resource definition drilling.
Currently listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Resouro is set to be listed on the ASX this month, with leading broking house Taylor Collison expected to point to Meteoric Resources’ (ASX:MEI)’s rapid-fire growth into a mid-tier rare earths player, as well as Gina Rinehart-backed ASX darling Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE).
As Resouro works towards a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) for Tiros, more aircore drilling is underway to confirm the continuity of the mineralised zones, as well as provide a wide range of metallurgical samples for the tests already in progress.
Setting the scene for a low capex and opex operation, the high-tonnage project’s soft, weathered ore is suitable for strip mining and does not need blasting or milling.
In critical minerals projects metallurgy is pivotal and preliminary testwork has so far resulted in TiO2, or anatase, of an impressive 82% concentrate using proven, conventional concentration techniques.
Importantly for the economics and ESG profile, independent accredited laboratory tests have demonstrated average thorium and uranium are at a very low 82ppm and 10ppm in situ respectively in Resouro assays.
This article was developed in collaboration with Resouro, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
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