Titanium mine of the public company United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC) in Ukraine. Photo: UMCC.
This Tuesday, January 31, a Newsweek report, citing several sources, stated that the support of the US and its European partners in NATO is largely due to the large reserves of titanium in Ukraine, a fundamental mineral utilised in the development of the military industry.
“Titanium is a lightweight yet strong metal used extensively in advanced military applications,” wrote the US outlet, “like fighter jets, helicopters, naval ships, tanks, long-range missiles, and many others. If Ukraine wins, the US and its allies will be in pole position to cultivate a new conduit of titanium. But if Russia manages to seize the country’s deposits and plants, Moscow will boost its global influence over increasingly strategic resource.”
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“The US no longer holds titanium sponge in its National Defense Stockpile,” confirmed Newsweek, “and the last domestic producer of titanium sponge closed down in 2020.” The US considers titanium to be one of 35 minerals vital to its economic and national security. But it “still imports more than 90% of its iron ore, and not all from friendly nations.”
Ukraine, along with China and Russia, is one of the seven countries that produces titanium sponge, which is the basis of titanium metal. “China produced more than 231,000 tons of titanium sponge last year, according to the US Geological Survey, representing 57% of world production,” the US outlet reported. “Japan followed with 17%, and Russia with 13%. Kazakhstan produced almost 18,000 tons, and Ukraine more than 4,000 tons.”
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
