TiZir's TTI facility, located in Tyssedal, processes ilmenite to produce high-grade titanium slag and high-purity pig iron, with an annual capacity of approximately 230,000t and 90,000t, respectively.
"The site is ideally situated to supply feedstock to our European pigment facilities," said Jeffry N Quinn, chairman and chief executive officer of Tronox.
"The technology and manufacturing capabilities acquired will lower the cost of obtaining the feedstocks we need to run our pigment plants, [and] broaden the geographic diversity of our titanium feedstock operations," he added.
Quinn added that the acquisition improves the likelihood of a successful commissioning and ramp for a smelter it plans to purchase in Saudi Arabia. Tronox is acquiring a smelter in Jazan city for US$36 million from Saudi industrial conglomerate Tasnee, and plans to startup the facility in the first quarter of 2021.
As part of its purchase of TiZir's TTI, Tronox will also enter a supply agreement that ensures ilmenite from Eramet's Grande Côte mineral sands mine in Senegal is provided to the TTI facility.
