IperionX acquires breakthrough titanium technologies for sustainable US supply chain
November 27, 2024
IperionX, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, has announced the successful acquisition of Blacksand Technology LLC’s assets and intellectual property portfolio.
The acquisition secures IperionX’s exclusive commercial rights to the patents and proprietary technologies, including Green Rutile, Alkaline Roasting Hydrolysis, Hydrogen Assisted Metallothermic Reduction and Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation.
These complementary technologies offer significant advantages over the incumbent Kroll titanium production process – with lower energy consumption, lower capex, faster cycle times, higher product yields and the ability to use 100% scrap titanium or upgraded titanium minerals as feedstocks.
IperionX is developing an ‘end-to-end’ American titanium supply chain solution, that spans from the production of US titanium minerals, upgrading these minerals to +99% TiO2, to the production of high-performance, lower-cost titanium metal forged parts. IperionX’s technologies can produce a large range of high-strength forged titanium alloys, with class-leading sustainability and superior process energy efficiencies when compared to current industry methods.
The technologies provide IperionX with a sustainable competitive advantage and significant value uplift from upgrading raw titanium materials to finished titanium products compared to traditional titanium industry supply chains. IperionX’s proprietary technologies negate the need for titanium metal sponge and ingot, allowing direct manufacturing of higher-value titanium products from the billet stage onwards.
IperionX is now commercialising its technology portfolio at its Titanium Manufacturing Campus in Virginia. In August 2024, it successfully commissioned the new HAMR furnace and delivered the first titanium deoxygenation production run in Virginia. The successful titanium production cycle was a significant milestone in the application of HAMR technology and demonstrates the commercial-scale capabilities of IperionX’s titanium technologies.
Anastasios (Taso) Arima, IperionX CEO said, “The acquisition of the award-winning intellectual property portfolio is an important milestone for IperionX – delivering direct control of the technologies and innovations that underpin our plans to re-shore an end-to-end, lower-cost US titanium supply chain that is critical to America’s economic and national security.”
