EU Awards €7.3mn Grant to Titanium Consortium for Sustainable Extraction and Processing

EU Titanium

The EU has awarded a €7.3mn ($8.1mn) grant to 13 companies under its REPTiS project for the responsible extraction and processing of titanium and other primary raw materials for EU industrial value chains and strategic sectors. The grant will be used to demonstrate the viability of titanium extraction, processing, and deployment within the EU in collaboration with Ukraine.

Funded under the EU's Horizon Europe programme, the project will run for four years, ending on August 31, 2028. The project is coordinated by the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA), with major participants including Ukrainian titanium producer Velta and aerospace manufacturer GKN Aerospace. Most of the funding is earmarked for Velta and the EPMA, while other recipients include companies specializing in metal injection molding, additive manufacturing, research centers, and universities. The full €7.3mn budget allocation is yet to be detailed.

The goal is to showcase solutions for titanium extraction and processing across the value chain, including mining ilmenite ore at Velta's Byrzulivske deposit and producing low-carbon titanium powder. Technologies like additive manufacturing and metal injection molding will be employed to manufacture aerospace components and medical products.

A life-cycle assessment will compare these methods to conventional practices. Velta's CEO, Andriy Brodsky, emphasized that the EU’s recognition of Ukraine as a strategic partner ensures a secure titanium supply chain, crucial for global industries. The Ukrainian government has been encouraging international investment in the country's titanium industry, with a key auction for titanium firm UMCC set for October 9.