TITANIUM SPONGE PLANT IN KERALA FULLY COMMISSIONED

First indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant has been commissioned and started commercial production in Kerala by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 10 August. The plant is established under ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, it’s a dedicated 500 MT per annum plant at M/s Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML), Chavara in Kollam district, Kerala.

ABOUT THE PLANT:

1) For space programme ISRO annually requires approximately 200-300 metric tonnes of Titanium Sponge and the plant projects to enhance its capacity to 1,000 tonnes per annum in near future.

2) This is the only integrated plant in the world that undertakes all activities right from mining of Ti minerals to the manufacturing of aerospace grade Ti sponge under one roof.

3) Raw material for aerospace grade Titanium alloys with high purity Titanium sponge (min. 99.7% Titanium) was being imported from countries like Russia, Japan and China despite the fact that India is endowed with the third largest reserve of Titanium bearing minerals. Now with this plant the country becomes self reliant and also became the seventh country in the world producing Titanium sponge commercially.

PROPERTIES:

1) Excellent corrosion resistance.

2) High strength to weight ratio i.e. a metal as strong as steel but much lighter.

3) Resistant to extreme temperatures.

APPLICATIONS:

1) Satellite launch vehicles, rockets and missiles.

2) Aero-engine and airframe structures in both civilian and military aircraft.

3) Nuclear power plants and other chemical plants due to very good corrosion resistance.

4) Bio-medical implants, sports goods, automobiles, and architecture and consumer durables are some of the other emerging areas of titanium applications.
 Author: Palak Tiwari, a freelancer writer based in Bhopal Start your IAS Preparation today itself