Robert Glaze, age 14, of Jackson, Miss., for his question:
WHY IS TITANIUM EXPENSIVE?
Titanium ranks as the world's ninth most plentiful element. But it is a metal that is never found in a pure state. It can be obtained from ore only with great difficulty. The fact that processing is difficult makes titanium expensive.
Titanium resists sea water and sea air corrosion or rust as well as platinum and better than stainless steel. Many highly corrosive acids and alkalies do not affect titanium. It can also be drawn into wire and has a higher strength weight ratio than steel.
Titanium was discovered by William Gregor of England in 1791 and was named by Martin Klaproth of Germany in 1795. It was not until the 1930s, however, that a refining method adaptable to large scale production was worked out by William Kroll of Luxembourg. The DuPont Company was the first to produce the metal commercially in 1948.
Deposits of titanium can be found in ilmenite or rutile. Sometimes it is also found in titaniferous magnetite, titanite and iron.
Leading titanium producing countries are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Malaysia, Norway and the United States. Russia also has large titanium deposits but production figures are not available.
Florida, Idaho, New Jersey, New York and Virginia are the leading titanium producing states. Quebec is the only Canadian province that produces the metal.
It is difficult and expensive to separate titanium from the ores with which it is found. A great deal of refining is necessary.
The United States manufactures most of the world's refined metal. Japan and Great Britain also manufacture large amounts of the metal.
Research is being conducted in many parts of the world to increase the supply of titanium by lowering its cost.
The armed forces use large amounts of titanium in aircraft and jet engines because it is strong but light. It also withstands temperatures up to about 800 degrees Fahrenheit which makes it useful in many types of machinery.
Because titanium has such superior qualities, the metal has a number of potential uses such as armor plate and propeller blades 'for ships, steam turbine blades, surgical instruments and tools.
The transportation industry would use a lot more of titanium in buses, railroad trains, trucks and automobiles if the price of the metal could be lowered enough to compete with the price of stainless steel.
Titanium dioxide is used in the manufacture of linoleum, rubber, textiles, paper, porcelain enamels and welding rods.
Barium titanate, a compound of titanium and barium, can be used in place of crystals in television and radar sets, microphones and phonographs.