Ilmenite and rutile – ores of titanium
Ilmenite is a titanium-iron oxide and rutile is a titanium dioxide. Both are important titanium ores. The ilmenite crystals that come from Åmdal in Froland are of high quality and several museums in Europe have specimens of these, but there has not been very extensive mining there. The quarry was too small for that. The mining company Titania AS, established in 1902, has been mining ilmenite in Sokndal in Rogaland since 1916. In the beginning there was operation in Storgangen and since 1960 in the Tellnes deposit. This is the world’s largest deposit of ilmenite.
There have been a few small-scale rutile quarries in Agder, among others the Flaten quarry in Åmli (operation in the 1950s), the Rønningen quarry in Birkenes and the Simonstad quarry in Vegårshei. Norway’s largest rutile deposit is Engebøfjellet by Førdefjorden, Vestland county. In 2021, the company Nordic Mining received a license to operate this deposit. Historically, the Kragerø rutile mine in Telemark has been the most important. It was operated from 1901 to 1957.
The metal titanium has great industrial importance due to its low density, great strength and corrosion resistance. Titanium alloys are used e.g., in compressor blades in gas turbines, machinery to be used in salt water, in aircraft parts and space rockets that must withstand high temperatures, in tools and in sports equipment. Since titanium is non-toxic and biocompatible, it is useful in implants. Titanium dioxide has long been used as a pigment for paint, so-called titanium white.
The ilmenite on display is from Åmdal in Froland and the rutile is from the Flaten quarry near Nelaug in Åmli.