In January-November this year, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium ores and concentrate in physical terms by 96.2% year-on-year to 11.063 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, exports of titanium ores and concentrate decreased by 84.5% to $18.474 million in monetary terms.
The main exports were to Turkey (38.05% of supplies in monetary terms), Japan (17.38%) and India (6.44%).
Ukraine imported 1 ton of such ore from the Netherlands for $2 thousand in the period under review.
As reported, in 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium ore and concentrate in physical terms by 41.8% compared to the previous year to 322.143 thousand tons, and in monetary terms by 19.6% to $130.144 million. At the same time, the main exports were made to the Czech Republic (47.91% of supplies in monetary terms), the United States (11.94%) and Romania (9.75%).
In 2022, Ukraine imported 196 tons of similar products from Senegal (70.41%) and Turkey (29.59%) for $115 thousand.
In Ukraine, titanium ores are currently mined mainly by the United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC), which manages Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipro region) and Irshansk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (Irshansk, Dnipro region). ) and Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGOK, Zhytomyr region), as well as Mezhirichinsky GOK and Valky Ilmenite (both based in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region). In addition, Velta (Dnipro) has built a mining and processing plant at Birzulivske deposit with a capacity of 240 thousand tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
In addition, Velta, a Dnipro-based industrial and commercial company, has built a mining and processing plant at the Birzulivske deposit with an annual capacity of 240 thousand tons of ilmenite concentrate.
PrJSC United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC), which manages Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipro region) and Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGOK, Zhytomyr region), has discussed with potential customers the supply of over 200 thousand tons of titanium ore next year.
According to the company’s press release, the discussion of possible supplies took place at the 17th annual TZMI Congress, the largest exhibition of the global titanium industry, which took place in Singapore.
Thanks to the event, which brought together the largest players in the titanium market, UMCC representatives held a number of meetings to expand international cooperation and plan supplies for 2024. In particular, preliminary negotiations were held with leading companies from America, Japan, the UK and the European Union.
“The total volume of supplies discussed for the next year is more than 200 thousand tons of UMCC products. We have now started working on the next stages of negotiations with counterparties and procedures preceding the signing of contracts. We hope that the expansion of cooperation, which we are now actively working on, will help increase the economic stability of the company,” said Dimitri Kalandadze, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the company, as quoted by the press service.
At the same time, he stated that the blockade of export routes and shelling of maritime infrastructure by Russia lead to disruptions in the delivery of products to customers. This directly affects the image of Ukrainian exporters and delays payment for goods. However, in such circumstances, it is very important to develop alternative ways of cooperation and expand it. This is a priority for the company’s management, summarized the Deputy Chairman of the Board.
The United Mining and Chemical Company started its actual operations in August 2014, when the Ukrainian government decided to transfer the property complexes of Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipropetrovska oblast) and Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGOK, Zhytomyrska oblast) to its management. Previously, these plants were leased to Firtash’s structures. Then the company was transformed into a PJSC and then into a PrJSC.
In August 2016, the government included UMCC in the list of companies to be privatized in 2017. Its deadline was postponed several times, and the tender was disrupted twice.
UMCC used to sell its products to more than 30 countries and was one of the world’s largest producers of titanium raw materials, accounting for 4% of the global market. The company mines titanium ore.
In January-October this year, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium ores and concentrate in physical terms by 96.3% year-on-year to 10.170 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Wednesday, exports of titanium ores and concentrate decreased by 84.7% to $16.983 million in monetary terms.
The main exports were to Turkey (36.92% of supplies in monetary terms), Japan (18.90%) and the Netherlands (6.04%).
During the period, Ukraine imported 1 ton of such ore from the Netherlands for $2 thousand.
As reported, in 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium ore and concentrate in physical terms by 41.8% compared to the previous year to 322.143 thousand tons, and in monetary terms by 19.6% to $130.144 million. At the same time, the main exports were made to the Czech Republic (47.91% of supplies in monetary terms), the United States (11.94%) and Romania (9.75%).
In 2022, Ukraine imported 196 tons of similar products from Senegal (70.41%) and Turkey (29.59%) for $115 thousand.
In Ukraine, titanium ores are currently mined mainly by the United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC), which manages Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipro region) and Irshansk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (Irshansk, Dnipro region). ) and Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGOK, Zhytomyr region), as well as Mezhirichinsky GOK and Valky Ilmenite (both based in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region).
In addition, Velta (Dnipro) has built a mining and processing plant at Birzulivske deposit with a capacity of 240 thousand tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
Ukraine decreased the export of titanium containing ore and concentrate in kind by 15.3% in January-October 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, to 437,702 tonnes.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, in January-October 2020, the export of titanium ore and concentrate in monetary terms decreased 15.1%, to $107.45 million.
Ukraine imported 890 tonnes of titanium ore for $748,000 during that period (711 tonnes of ore for $500,000 in January-October 2019).
Vilnohirsk state mining and metallurgical combine (Dnipropetrovsk region), Irshansk state mining and processing combine (Zhytomyr region), Valki-Ilmenite and Mezhdurechensk Mining and Concentration Complexes (both are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region) are the main producers of titanium ore in Ukraine.
Dnipro-based Velta production and commercial firm built a mining and processing complex at the Birzulivske ilmenite deposit, which has a 240,000-tonne ilmenite concentrate capacity per year.
Holding company Velta Group Global Ltd. was registered in London in November 2011.
Ukraine in January 2020 increased exports of titanium containing ore and concentrate in kind by 12.2% compared to 2018, to 52,400 tonnes.
According to customs statistics released by the State Fiscal Service, over the period exports of titanium ore and concentrate in monetary terms decreased by 8.6%, to $12.586 million.
Major exports were made to Mexico (23.84% of deliveries in monetary terms), Russia (18.01%) and Egypt (13.79%).
Ukraine in January 2020 imported 78 tonnes of similar products worth $55,000 from Senegal (805 tonnes for $163,000 in January 2019).
Vilnohirsk state mining and metallurgical combine (Dnipropetrovsk region), Irshansk state mining and processing combine (Zhytomyr region), Valki-Ilmenite and Mezhdurechensk Mining and Concentration Complexes (both are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region) are the main producers of titanium ore in Ukraine.
Dnipro-based Velta production and commercial firm built a mining and processing complex at the Birzulivske ilmenite deposit, which has a 240,000-tonne ilmenite concentrate capacity per year.
Holding company Velta Group Global Ltd. was registered in London in November 2011.
Velta industrial and commercial firm LLC with titanium ore production assets in Ukraine (Kirovohrad region) has agreed to supply $100 million of ilmenite, a titanium feedstock, under a five-year supply contract with the Traxys Group, a global commodity trading group, aimed at meeting the needs of the North American market.
Velta said in press release that it has been working in the U.S. market for seven years.
“Given that North America is one of the most stable and fast growing markets, we have decided to enter a longer-term contract, which will ensure additional stability of the company’s operations,” CEO of Velta Andriy Brodsky said.
He said that the main competitive advantage of Velta is that the company produces high-quality high-titanium feedstock, which is currently scarce in the world and in great demand in the U.S. market.
“Titanium Dioxide pigment is a core business of our group. We are pleased to partner with such a high quality and reliable miner as Velta,” Traxys Head of Industrial Minerals Eli Skornicki said.
According to the press release, the ultimate consumer under the contract is Chemours. Chemours is a new kind of chemistry company driven by their purpose to create a more colorful, capable, and cleaner world through the power of chemistry. Chemours is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of titanium dioxide (TiO₂). The company’s Ti-Pure™ brand delivers industry-leading innovation to address the growing worldwide demand for high-quality TiO₂ by developing brighter, more efficient pigments for the coatings, plastics, and laminates markets. Its annual sales exceed $6.5 billion. Chemours employs more than 7,000 people worldwide.
Traxys, headquartered in Luxembourg, is a physical commodity trader and merchant in the metals and natural resources sectors. Its logistics, marketing, distribution, supply chain management and trading activities are conducted by over 400 employees, in over 20 offices worldwide, and its annual turnover is in excess of $7 billion. The group serves a broad base of industrial customers and offers a full range of commercial and financial services.
Velta LLC has been mining and processing titanium feedstock at Byrzulivske deposit in Kirovohrad region since 2012. The company also holds a license for the industrial development of Likarivske deposit with similar feedstock. From 2012 to 2019, Velta mined 1 million tonnes of ilmenite. The total number of jobs exceeds 500. Velta founded a research and development center Velta RD Titan that works on creating new methods for processing titanium feedstock.
CONTRACT, LUXEMBOURG TRAXYS, PRODUCTION, TITANIUM ORE, VELTA
