Titanium dioxide
Production

The largest TiO pigment processors are Chemours, Venator, Kronos, and Tronox. Major paint and coating company end users for pigment grade titanium dioxide include Akzo Nobel, PPG Industries, Sherwin Williams, BASF, Kansai Paints and Valspar. Global TiO pigment demand for 2010 was 5.3 Mt with annual growth expected to be about 3–4%.

The production method depends on the feedstock. In addition to ores, other feedstocks include upgraded slag. Both the chloride process and the sulfate process (both described below) produce titanium dioxide pigment in the rutile crystal form, but the sulfate process can be adjusted to produce the anatase form. Anatase, being softer, is used in fiber and paper applications. The sulfate process is run as a batch process; the chloride process is run as a continuous process.
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