The Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited

Chavara, Kollam, Kerala

KMML has taken a big leap into aerospace industry and defence application with the commissioning of 500TPY Titanium Sponge Plant. The idea of setting up a Titanium Sponge Plant took shape in this context so that the countrys strategic programs in Defence and Aerospace are not affected for want of Titanium sponge. Former President of India His Excellency Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam highlighted the importance of setting up of Titanium Sponge Plant at Chavara during his speech at Kerala Legislative Assembly. The Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL under DRDO) developed the process of sponge production after twenty years of continuous R&D and established an experimental facility at Hyderabad. By the Commissioning of KMML TSP India has become the seventh country in the world to have the technology to make Titanium Sponge. The project is fully funded by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC under ISRO) and the sponge produced will be used for their aerospace applications.

The Utility Section of our Manufacturing Facility comprises: Boiler Plant (24 Ts saturated steam and 9 Ts superheated steam per hour).We have two main Boilers and one Packaged Boiler.Air Compressor Station (5 nos.) Water Treatment & DM Plant

The sands are washed onto the beach by the waves everyday. They are called beach washing. These sands are the raw materials naturally harvested by KMML for the manufacture of the finest grades of Titanium Dioxide pigment and other products. KMML is India's only RUTILE GRADE TITANIUM DIOXIDE MANUFACTURING FACILITY (through Chloride Route). The Manufacturing Plant at KMML comprises the Mineral Separation Unit and the TP Unit (Ilmenite Beneficiation Plant, Acid Regeneration Plant, Pigment Production Plant, Oxygen Plant & Utility Section).

The sands are washed onto the beach by the waves everyday. They are called beach washing. These sands are the raw materials naturally harvested by KMML for the manufacture of the finest grades of Titanium Dioxide pigment and other products. KMML is India's only RUTILE GRADE TITANIUM DIOXIDE MANUFACTURING FACILITY (through Chloride Route). The Manufacturing Plant at KMML comprises the Mineral Separation Unit and the TP Unit (Ilmenite Beneficiation Plant, Acid Regeneration Plant, Pigment Production Plant, Oxygen Plant & Utility Section). The raw Ilmenite obtained from the Mineral Separation Unit is taken to the manufacturing facility for further processing. Titanium Dioxide is manufactured here using the chloride route. The chloride route is better than the sulphate route as highest levels of purity can be achieved with this.

Ilmenite is a weakly magnetic titanium-iron oxide mineral which is iron-black or steel-gray. It is a crystalline iron titanium oxide (FeTiO3) with a hexagonal crystal system and a metallic lustre. The majority of the ilmenite mined is used as a raw material for pigment production. The product is titanium dioxide, which is ground into a fine powder and is a highly white substance used as a base in high-quality paint, paper and plastics applications. The sands of Sankaramangalam in Kerala were found to contain several rare earths like Ilmenite, Zircon and Rutile. KMML is involved in the harvesting of these minerals from the seas, which are used as basic raw materials for a variety of industries. The Mineral Separation Unit (MS Unit) is engaged in the separation of Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Monazite, Silliminite etc from the beach sand. The MS Unit employs Gravitational, Magnetic and High Tension Electrostatic Techniques for separation of minerals from the sand.