Titanium

Titanium cannot be found in its natural state. There are a couple ores that are of special interest to prospectors and even though both of these ores can be commercially worked, the most essential is ilmenite, which provides most of the supply of titanium in the world. Ilmenite can be found in many different areas within in the United States and it has been found in black sands of gold pans and sluices in the Pacific Coast areas. This mineral has a crystalline structure to it when it is in its natural state however it can break down very easily and will find its way to placer deposits. It has a black color and looks somewhat like the iron ores. In order to identify it, an expert should assay it. The tests that are done for it are particularly complicated and this is why only an expert should do them. It has a metallic luster, a hardness of 5 to 6 and a specific gravity of 4.1 to 4.8. Another very important titanium ore is rutile, which is also black, and can often times be found in a crystal form. Rutile is valuable both as an ore of titanium and as a collectors rock. The crystals often times form inside clear quartz crystals as replacement material and is known as rutilated quartz and is valuable to collectors and gem cutters. It has a metallic luster, a hardness of 6 to 6.5 and a specific gravity of 4.2 to 4.3.