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'''Titanium Sponge Plant''' is an [[India|Indian]] [[manufacturing plant]] that produces [[titanium sponge]], a material widely used in aeronautics, light defence vehicles, and other applications. It is located at Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd ([[Kerala Minerals and Metals|KMML]]), Chavara, [[Kollam]] district of [[Kerala]]. Notably, It is the only plant in the world that carries out the entire aerospace-grade titanium sponge manufacturing process under one roof.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=ISRO's titanium sponge plant in Kerala fully commissioned |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-10/news/65415517_1_kmml-isro-indian-space-research-organisation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818232952/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-10/news/65415517_1_kmml-isro-indian-space-research-organisation |archive-date=August 18, 2015 |accessdate=2015-11-01 |website=timesofindia-economictimes}}</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
The importance of establishing domestic titanium production was realised{{By whom?|date=December 2024}}{{When?|date=December 2024}} due to India's significant demand for titanium and magnesium alloys, which were predominantly imported from countries such as China, Russia, and Japan. [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam|Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam]], a scientist and the former President of India, highlighted the issue in a speech at the Kerala Legislative Assembly.<ref name="ISRO Plant operational">{{Cite web|title = Indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant operational - ISRO|url = http://www.isro.gov.in/indigenous-titanium-sponge-plant-operational|website = www.isro.gov.in|accessdate = 2015-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118124004/https://www.isro.gov.in/indigenous-titanium-sponge-plant-operational|archive-date=2015-11-18}}</ref> The plant was fully commissioned in August 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title = ISRO's titanium sponge plant in Kerala fully commissioned|url = http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-10/news/65415517_1_kmml-isro-indian-space-research-organisation|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150818232952/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-10/news/65415517_1_kmml-isro-indian-space-research-organisation|url-status = dead|archive-date = August 18, 2015|website = timesofindia-economictimes|accessdate = 2015-11-01}}</ref><br />
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==Establishment==<br />
The successful implementation{{Vague|date=December 2024|reason=Implementation of what?}} was achieved after about twenty years of continuous research by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory ([[Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory|DMRL]] under [[Defence Research and Development Organisation|DRDO]]). The project is funded by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ([[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre|VSSC]] under [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]]).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title = Titanium sponge plant to open in India in July|url = http://www.interlinkmetals.co.uk/titanium-sponge-plant-to-open-in-india-in-july/|website = Interlink Metals|date = 2012-06-22|accessdate = 2015-11-01}}</ref><br />
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==Ranking==<br />
India is the seventh country in the world to have such a complex structured TSP which has the technology to make titanium sponge,<ref name=":2" /> and the first to have done the entire process under one roof in an indigenous manner. The company, Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd. (KMML), has also won awards for commercialising this technology.<br />
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==Design and capacity==<br />
The plant has an intricate design to carry out manufacturing of titanium alloy wrought products and fabrication of hardware.<ref name="ISRO Plant operational" /> Titanium sponge is an alloy product that is produced through the [[Kroll process]], which includes leaching or heated vacuum distillation to make the metal almost 99.7% pure.<ref name=":0" /> <br />
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Work is being done actively to increase the capacity of the TSP (Titanium Sponge Plant) for the proposed 10000 TPY (Tons Per Year). A memorandum of understanding has also been signed by the KMML with [[Steel Authority of India]] (SAIL) for a joint venture to prepare titanium sponge at large scale. <br />
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India has the third-largest reserves of Titanium containing minerals and was the sixth-largest [[List of countries by titanium production|country in Titanium production]] in 2013.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}} However, the high purity Titanium sponge (defined as containing at least 99.7% Titanium) as raw material is still imported for aerospace applications from countries like Japan, Russia, and China.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title = Soon, space programmes will use indigenously made titanium sponge|url = http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/soon-space-programmes-will-use-indigenously-made-titanium-sponge/article7527360.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 2015-08-12|access-date = 2015-11-01|issn = 0971-751X|language = en}}</ref> Using the indigenously made titanium sponge, [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre|VSSC]] realized the aerospace-grade alloy, having formula '''Ti<sub>6</sub>Al<sub>4</sub>V,''' at [[Mishra Dhatu Nigam]] (Midhani) in Hyderabad.<br />
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==Future prospects==<br />
Proposals for future work include magnesium recovery from MgCl<sub>2</sub> ([[magnesium chloride]]) to set up an additional facility on similar lines, as well as to expand titanium production capacity from 500 MT to 1000 MT.<ref name=":2" /><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Manufacturing plants]]<br />
[[Category:Titanium companies]]<br />
[[Category:Aerospace materials]]</div>Michaelevansnet