Material producer IperionX signed an agreement with avec Lockheed Martin to deliver titanium plate components produced using its US-manufactured titanium.

The parts will be manufactured with powder metallurgy production methods. IperionX will also employ its patented Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) technologies, a technique which would improve the microstructure of titanium parts to deliver strength and fatigue properties that are comparable to wrought titanium alloys.

As a reminder, the USA has very limited domestic primary titanium metal (titanium sponge) capacity, resulting in the US importing over 95% of the titanium sponge required for the U.S. defense sector. With its ambition to re-shore this material metal production to the U.S., the company will reduce the reliance on titanium imports from foreign nations.

Read more: Entering a new age of real low-cost Titanium for Additive Manufacturing with IperionX.

The announcement follows the reception of key development permits for the Titan Project in Tennessee. The Titan Project is the largest JORC-compliant resource of titanium and rare earth rich mineral sands in the U.S. and represents a cornerstone asset for IperionX’s plans to re-shore a strong and sustainable domestic supply chain for titanium metal. The major development permits include the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit and Surface Mining Permit, which have now been issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation. Any residual regulatory requirements for the development of the Titan Project are expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The award of the permits is a direct result of over two years of significant focus on community engagement, and education on the sustainable development of the Titan Project, resulting in strong community support. IperionX’s ‘sustainability first’ approach to the Titan Project development and community engagement commenced in January 2021 through the establishment of an office in Camden, Tennessee served by seven full time employees, providing clear and transparent communication channels regarding the Titan Project for community stakeholders, the company says.

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