IperionX has successfully delivered and installed its Hydrogen Assisted Metallothermic (HAMR™) titanium furnace at its facility in Virginia, USA.

Located at the new Titanium Manufacturing Campus, the furnace, which resembles a standard Kroll titanium furnace, enhances lower operating temperatures, increased efficiencies, shorter production cycles and higher product qualities.

The construction and development of the campus is advancing to schedule, whilst the commissioning of the HAMR furnace is scheduled for Q2 2024, along with the first titanium powder expected in mid-2024. IperionX anticipates a full run rate target capacity of at least 125 t/y by the end of 2024, before scaling up to a full target production capacity of 2,000 tonnes per year in 2026.

Throughout the titanium production process, hydrogen is incorporated into the metallothermic process, used to enhance the reactions.

In a traditional Kroll process, magnesium is used as the reducing agent to convert titanium tetrachloride into titanium metal.