excerpted from article:
“..China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of titanium and as a result is also one of the leading importers of titanium ore required to produce the alloy.
Lightweight titanium alloys are used extensively in the aerospace and defense industry during the production of jet engines, missiles and spacecraft.
Prior to western sanctions Russia’s largest producer VSMPO-Avisma supplied around 30 percent of titanium needs for the global aerospace industry, with US’ Boeing receiving 40 percent of its titanium from Russia and its European rival Airbus procuring up to 60 percent from Russia. ..”
And we have zero titanium reserves. Great.
“..China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of titanium and as a result is also one of the leading importers of titanium ore required to produce the alloy”
So we’re enemies with the two largest producers and refiners of Titanium in the world.
...and what do we gain? Maybe forcing Russia to fight an extra year to liberate Ukraine from Victoria Neuland? Not too smart in my book.
By the way, the easiest way to explain the value of Titanium and its importance to a defense industry goes like this:
1. Aluminum is very lightweight, but melts and then burns at very low temperatures (for a metal).
2. Steel can resist heat far better than Aluminum, but is heavy.
3. Titanium is both lightweight (closer to that of aluminum), but melts at a temperature even significantly higher than steel.
It’s going to be fun to see what becomes of our military now that the Neocons have locked out Titanium as a raw material.