Chemours Titanium Technologies Uses Responsible Mining to Access Critical Minerals
Responsible use of natural resources requires a stewardship commitment in every stage, from extraction to processing and manufacturing to disposal. Our Titanium Technologies business segment, which supplies high-quality titanium dioxide used in coatings, plastics, and laminates, operates mineral sands mining and separation operations in Florida and Georgia. These sites supply our manufacturing plants with minerals, including ilmenite, zircon, and staurolite.
- Ilmenite, a titanium-bearing mineral, is used to produce titanium dioxide (TiO₂). It is estimated that every person in North America uses 10 pounds of TiO₂ each year for clothing, paper, paint, sunblock, and other products.
- Staurolite, a very hard mineral, is an excellent abrasive for cleaning metals. This product is critical to construction and infrastructure improvement projects. Its low‐dust and recyclable qualities make it a preferred choice for environmental or occupational health concerns.
- Zircon, a zirconium-bearing mineral, is ground to a powder and used in the production of ceramic tiles and glazes. It is also used to cast high-performance metals for military and aerospace applications.
As part of our sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Commitment, we use minimally invasive mining techniques, on-site gravity spiral separation processes that do not require chemicals, and continuous reclamation to restore each of our mine sites to its pre-mine condition. Restoration of each site to pre-mine condition includes replacement of the topsoil to re-establish the native understory plants and planting tree seedlings.
For example, when we set out to design and build our new mining project in Jesup, Georgia, we employed new approaches to reduce impacts to wildlife and water resources. Our new plant uses cutting-edge electric-powered mobile mining units to extract essential minerals with precision while reducing engine noise, dust, and carbon emissions while improving safety for Chemours employees. Water used in the mining and mineral separation is continuously reused so that an astounding 98% of the process water is maintained on site.
