What is a titanium dioxide project report?
A titanium dioxide project report is a detailed project report (DPR) for a plant that turns ilmenite ore into white TiO2 pigment, usually by the sulphate or chloride route. It sets out the process, raw materials, machinery, utilities, approvals, market, project cost, means of finance, five-year projections, DSCR and break-even.
Promoters use it to choose the route and plant size and to raise a term loan; banks, investors and large pigment buyers use it to judge whether the plant can run steadily and repay.
Also known as: project report on titanium dioxide, titanium dioxide business plan, TiO2 pigment plant DPR, anatase titanium dioxide project report.
Titanium dioxide manufacturing plant cost in India: sample economics
Our sample report models a small anatase plant of 3.7 metric tonnes per day (1,221 MT per year) on the sulphate route. It runs 330 days a year, starts at 60% capacity, reaches 80% in Year 5 and sells at ₹2,07,000 per MT before GST.
| Land and site development | 69.85 |
|---|---|
| Building and civil works | 200.74 |
| Plant and machinery | 436.58 |
| Other fixed assets | 61.12 |
| Contingencies | 31.87 |
| Preliminary and pre-operative | 20.00 |
| Working capital margin | 57.88 |
| Total | 878.04 |
| Promoter's contribution (25%) | 219.51 |
|---|---|
| Term loan from bank (75%) | 658.53 |
| Cash credit limit (separate) | 173.66 |
| Total project cost | 878.04 |
Term loan at 10.5% with a 6-month moratorium and 54 monthly instalments. DSCR (debt service coverage ratio) is cash available for loan payments divided by those payments. All figures are illustrative.
Titanium dioxide manufacturing process on the sulphate route
The sulphate route dissolves ilmenite in acid, takes the iron out as crystals and then rebuilds pure TiO2 in a kiln. It accepts ilmenite directly, which India mines from beach sands in Odisha, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- Drying and grinding
Ilmenite is dried and milled fine, because coarse grains stay unreacted in the digester and lower the yield.
- Digestion
Ground ore is mixed with concentrated sulphuric acid in batch digesters, where the reaction heats up and sets into a porous cake of titanium and iron sulphates.
- Dissolution and reduction
The cake is leached with water or weak acid, and scrap iron turns ferric iron into ferrous iron so it stays in solution instead of staining the pigment.
- Clarification and copperas removal
Undissolved mud is settled and filtered out, then the liquor is cooled in a vacuum crystalliser so ferrous sulphate (copperas) crystallises and is spun off in a centrifuge.
- Hydrolysis
The clear liquor is concentrated in an evaporator and boiled with seed, which precipitates titanium hydrate with a controlled particle size.
- Washing and bleaching
The hydrate is washed on leaf filters and bleached to strip traces of iron, chromium and vanadium that would tint the white pigment.
- Calcination
A rotary calciner heats the hydrate to about 800–1,000°C, driving off water and sulphur oxides and fixing the anatase crystal size.
- Finishing and packing
The calcined pigment is wet milled, coated with alumina or silica where the grade needs it, dried, steam micronized and packed in 25 kg bags.
Sulphate or chloride route: which suits your plant?
The route decides the feedstock, the grades you can sell, the waste you must handle and the smallest plant that makes sense.
| Point | Sulphate route | Chloride route |
|---|---|---|
| Feedstock | Ilmenite or titanium slag, which dissolve in sulphuric acid | Rutile, synthetic rutile or upgraded ilmenite with a high TiO2 content |
| Grades | Anatase and rutile | Rutile |
| How it runs | Batch digestion and liquid-phase steps | Continuous chlorination and oxidation at high temperature |
| Main wastes | Copperas and weak spent acid | Metal chloride residues; chlorine is recycled |
| Plants in India | Three plants of 4,800 to 18,000 MT per year | KMML at Chavara, Kerala |
Why our sample uses the sulphate route: it takes Indian ilmenite without upgrading and runs in batches, so it can be costed at a few tonnes a day. The sulphate plants listed by the Indian Bureau of Mines are larger than the sample, so treat the sample as a format guide, not a plant size recommendation.
Raw materials for titanium dioxide: ilmenite and sulphuric acid
Sulphuric acid, not ore, is the biggest raw material cost in our sample at 38%, ahead of ilmenite at 32%. Ilmenite comes from IREL and KMML beach sand operations, so a site with short haul to both ore and acid saves a lot of freight.
| Raw material | Share of cost | Year 3 (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphuric acid | 38% | 347.41 |
| Ilmenite (beach sand grade) | 32% | 292.55 |
| Lime for neutralisation | 12% | 109.71 |
| Surface treatment chemicals | 8% | 73.14 |
| Calcination additives and seed | 6% | 54.85 |
| Scrap iron for reduction | 4% | 36.57 |
| Total | 100% | 914.23 |
Raw materials are 51.7% of sales in the sample. Test every ilmenite lot: its TiO2, iron and chromium content changes acid use and pigment colour.
Machinery for a titanium dioxide plant
Almost every vessel from the digester to the hydrolysis tank handles hot acid, so it must be rubber or brick lined or built from acid-resistant material. The rotary calciner is the costliest single item in the sample.
| Machine | What it does | Sample cost (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Ore dryer and ball mill | Dries and grinds ilmenite | 34.93 |
| Acid-resistant digesters | React ore with sulphuric acid | 61.12 |
| Reduction and settling tanks with filter press | Dissolve the cake, reduce iron, remove mud | 61.12 |
| Vacuum crystalliser and copperas centrifuge | Takes iron out as ferrous sulphate | 43.66 |
| Evaporator and hydrolysis vessels | Concentrate liquor and precipitate hydrate | 52.39 |
| Leaf filters and hydrate washing system | Wash and bleach the hydrate | 30.56 |
| Rotary calciner with cooler | Converts hydrate to anatase pigment | 78.58 |
| Wet mill, dryer and steam micronizer | Finish the pigment to particle size | 43.66 |
| Acid scrubber and effluent neutralisation plant | Treat off-gas and acid effluent | 30.56 |
| Total plant and machinery | 436.58 | |
Costs are the sample report's estimates for a 3.7 MT per day line. Get current quotations before you finalise.
Power, steam and manpower for a TiO2 plant
Power and fuel cost ₹128.94 lakh in Year 3 of the sample, 7.3% of sales. Most of it goes to the calciner, the evaporator, the dryers and the steam for micronizing, so fuel price and steam supply deserve a close look. The sample plant employs 46 people.
| Category | Number | Year 1 cost (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Management, supervision and administration | 7 | 27.30 |
| Skilled workers and operators | 16 | 39.36 |
| Semi-skilled and unskilled workers | 23 | 37.26 |
| Total | 46 | 103.92 |
Licences and approvals for a titanium dioxide plant
| Pollution category | Manufacture of pigments is in the red category of the industry classification, as published by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board; confirm the category with your own state board |
|---|---|
| Pollution board consent | Consent to establish before construction and consent to operate before production, with conditions on acid effluent, copperas and gypsum sludge |
| Product standard | IS 411:2020, titanium dioxide, anatase, for paints; tests include TiO2 content, oil absorption, residue on a 45 micron sieve and scattering power |
| Quality Control Order | Not on the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals QCO list as checked in October 2026, so BIS certification is voluntary |
| Business registration | GST registration, and Udyam (MSME) registration where the investment falls within the limits |
| Factory licence | Licence from the state factories department before production starts |
Who buys titanium dioxide in India?
Paint makers are the main buyers, and anatase grade goes mostly into interior emulsions, distempers and primers. Paper, synthetic fibre, masterbatch, ink and ceramic producers buy smaller lots, often to tighter limits on whiteness and particle size.
The Indian Minerals Yearbook lists only four pigment producers in the country, and China is the largest source of imported titanium dioxide. A domestic unit therefore competes with imports on delivered price and reliability rather than with a crowd of local plants.
- Paint and distemper manufacturers
- Masterbatch and plastic compounders
- Paper and laminate mills
- Printing ink makers
- Synthetic fibre producers
- Chemical traders and distributors
Where a domestic unit wins: buyers of imported pigment carry weeks of stock and bear exchange-rate risk. A plant that supplies steady, tested lots at short notice can win approved-supplier status with regional paint makers.
Mistakes that weaken a titanium dioxide project report
- Pricing anatase like rutile
Anatase usually sells below rutile. A report that takes a rutile price for an anatase plant overstates sales and DSCR.
- No plan for copperas and spent acid
The sulphate route leaves iron sulphate and weak acid with every tonne of pigment. The cost of selling, treating or neutralising them belongs in the projections.
- Assuming every ilmenite lot is the same
Chromium and vanadium in the ore tint the pigment. Lot testing, blending and a fall-back supplier should be written into the plan.
- Ignoring buyer approval time
Paint makers trial a new pigment source before they place regular orders, so first-year sales should start low.
- Thin working capital
Trade receivables are the largest current asset in our sample at 45 days of credit. Cut them short and the plant runs out of cash in Year 1.
How NPCS helps you plan a titanium dioxide plant
- Route and capacityCompare the sulphate and chloride routes and size the plant to your ore, acid and buyers.
- Feedstock and acid sourcingMap ilmenite and sulphuric acid supply, freight and lot testing for your site.
- Bank-ready project reportProjections, DSCR, break-even and working capital in the format your lender or investor wants.
- Effluent and approvalsPlan copperas and spent acid handling and list the approvals for your state.
NPCS's published client list records one titanium dioxide assignment, and the NPCS project team, led by founder Ajay Kumar Gupta, has prepared industrial project reports since 1994.
What's inside the titanium dioxide sample report
- Introduction
- Uses and applications
- Market potential
- Manufacturing process
- Raw materials
- Plant and machinery
- Land, building and utilities
- Manpower
- Licences and approvals
- Project cost and means of finance
- Working capital
- Projected profitability
- Cash flow statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Depreciation
- Term loan repayment
- Debt service coverage
- Break-even analysis
- Financial ratios
- Key assumptions
- Conclusion
- Monthly loan repayment schedule
19 pages, five-year projections, illustrative figures.
Open sample reportFree sample or a report for your project?
| What you get | Free sample | NPCS report for your project |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and location | Typical unit | Your capacity, site and state |
| Figures | Illustrative | Built on current prices and quotations |
| Machinery suppliers and quotations | No | Yes |
| Market survey for your region | No | Yes |
| Bank or scheme format (PMEGP, term loan) | No | Yes |
| Use for a loan application | No | Yes |
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Titanium Dioxide project report: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to set up a titanium dioxide plant in India?
Cost depends mainly on the process route and the scale. Our sample report models a 3.7 MT per day anatase plant on the sulphate route at ₹878 lakh, including land, building, machinery and working capital margin. The pigment plants operating in India are several times larger. A project report prices the capacity, route and site you choose.
What raw materials are needed to make titanium dioxide?
The sulphate route needs ilmenite ore, concentrated sulphuric acid and scrap iron to reduce the iron in the liquor. It also uses seed and calcination additives, surface treatment chemicals and lime to neutralise acid effluent. In our sample report sulphuric acid is the largest raw material cost at 38%, ahead of ilmenite at 32%.
What is the difference between anatase and rutile titanium dioxide?
Both are crystal forms of TiO2. Rutile scatters light more strongly and stands up better to sunlight, so exterior paints and many plastics use it. Anatase is softer and less abrasive, which suits interior paints, paper, synthetic fibres and ceramics. The sulphate route can make either grade, while the chloride route makes rutile.
Is a titanium dioxide plant profitable?
In our illustrative sample, a 3.7 MT per day plant earns a 22% return on investment in Year 3. It breaks even at 39% of capacity and pays back in about 3.5 years. Real results depend on acid and ilmenite prices, how the plant disposes of copperas and spent acid, and the price of imported pigment.
Which companies make titanium dioxide pigment in India?
The Indian Minerals Yearbook 2022 lists four pigment producers: Travancore Titanium Products and KMML in Kerala, VVTi Pigments at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu and Kolmark Chemicals in West Bengal. KMML uses the chloride route and the other three use the sulphate route. Ilmenite comes mainly from IREL and KMML beach sand operations.
Does titanium dioxide need BIS certification?
IS 411:2020 is the Indian standard for anatase titanium dioxide for paints, and paint buyers often ask for test results against it. Titanium dioxide is not on the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals list of chemical Quality Control Orders as checked in October 2026, so BIS certification is not compulsory. Confirm the position before you launch.
Is the titanium dioxide project report PDF free, and can I use it for a loan?
The sample is free to view and download. It is an illustrative report that shows the format and depth of an NPCS report. Its figures are representative and not based on a real project, so do not submit it to a bank. For a loan, NPCS prepares a report for your own capacity, route, location and lender.
Sources and references
- Indian Minerals Yearbook 2022: Ilmenite and RutileIndian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines, checked Oct 2026
- Product manual for IS 411: Titanium dioxide, anatase, for paintsBureau of Indian Standards, checked Oct 2026
- Chemicals Quality Control OrdersDepartment of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, checked Oct 2026
- List of industries in the red categoryOdisha State Pollution Control Board, checked Oct 2026
- Process chartThe Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd, Government of Kerala undertaking, checked Oct 2026
The NPCS project team, led by Ajay Kumar Gupta
This page and its sample report are prepared and reviewed by the NPCS project team, which has written techno-economic feasibility studies and detailed project reports since 1994.
Ajay Kumar Gupta founded Niir Project Consultancy Services (NPCS) and leads the organisation. With 40 years of experience in MSME project consulting, he has built the team that has delivered more than 28,000 project reports for clients worldwide, helping entrepreneurs plan and finance profitable manufacturing businesses.
- Published
- Last updated
- Next review
- Oct 2027
- Reviewed by
- NPCS project team
This page is reviewed every 12 months, or sooner when scheme limits, GST rates, BIS rules or pollution categories change. The sample report is illustrative: its figures are generated from industry-typical ratios for a unit of this size, checked so every statement balances, and are not taken from any client project.