Ilmenite shortage cripples titanium dioxide units in Thoothukudi; jobs hit
THOOTHUKUDI: Titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment manufacturers are reeling under an acute shortage of ilmenite, the key raw material, leading to sharp production cuts and job losses in Thoothukudi.
Industry representatives have urged the Ministry of Mines (MoM) and the Tamil Nadu government to prioritise domestic supply, alleging that inadequate allocation by IREL (India) Limited has pushed units into distress.
TiO2 pigment, derived from ilmenite, is a crucial input for paper, inks, plastics, cosmetics, rubber, textiles and printing industries. It also has strategic applications in defence, aerospace, medical implants and electronics.
Of the five TiOâ‚‚ pigment manufacturers in the country, two are located in Thoothukudi. While one unit with a capacity of 15,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) has shut down operations, another plant with 18,000 TPA capacity has scaled down production due to insufficient ilmenite supply.
Following the Centre’s move in 2019 to bar private players from beach sand mining, TiOâ‚‚ manufacturers have been dependent solely on IREL, the only licensed entity to mine and supply ilmenite in India.
However, members of the Beach Mineral Producers Association alleged that IREL has curtailed domestic supply while exporting ilmenite overseas, citing a lack of a value-chain industry within the country.
