Titanium

  • TitaniumWhat is it and where is it formed?  Titanium is a metal that is as strong as steel but weighs a whole lot less.  It is a very common mineral and is found in igneous rocks. It is usually found in rutile, ilmenite, magnetite, and iron.  It is only found in a combination; never by itself. 

  • How and where is it mined?  Titanium is mined using strip mining.  The soil is sent to factories where they take out the ore.  It costs a lot of money to separate titanium from ore.  Because of this, titanium costs a lot of money.  It is mined in China, Russia, Australia, Canada, India, Norway, South Africa, Ukraine, and the United States [Arkansas].

  • What is it used for?  Titanium is used for medical equipment, jewelry, military armor, airplanes, paint, paper, plastics, and laptop computers.  Titanium can handle high heat so it is used in industries that need this quality.

  • Interesting Information:

    • Titanium is found in meteorites.
Mineral Characteristic What the
mineralogists say		 Kid's Guide:  What it REALLY means!
Chemical Symbol Ti

It is on the Periodic Table of the Elements.
Color Silver gray or white These are the common colors of the mineral.
Streak Black If the stone was crushed, this is what color the powder would be.
Transparency Opaque You can not see through it.
Luster Metallic It is shiny when a light shines on it.
Cleavage None It breaks but it doesn’t break the in layers or chunks that are the same each time.
Fracture Brittle When the mineral is cold, it breaks easily.
Magnetism Weak There is only a little attraction to a magnet.
Hardness 4 It can be scratched by a steel nail but it can’t scratch glass.
Specific gravity 4.5 It is an average weight for a metallic element.
Crystal Shape Hexagonal

Hexagonal crystal shape