IperionX GenX HAMR titanium scale-up: process and energy insights for engineers
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

First reported on MINING.com
30 Second Briefing
IperionX has validated continuous operation of its GenX hydrogen magnesiothermic reduction (HAMR) titanium furnace at its Virginia R&D facility, achieving a sixfold increase in throughput and a 75% cut in energy intensity versus its previous batch process. The commercial-scale system processed over 500 kg of recycled titanium powder in four continuous runs over 41 hours at roughly 12 kg/h, with all samples meeting oxygen specifications and showing substantially lower magnesium, hydrogen and power consumption at steady state. A second US Army SBIR contract allows project-specific defence orders up to a collective US$99 million, supporting scale-up of domestic titanium powder-to-part capacity in a market that currently has no US titanium sponge production despite aerospace demand above 31,000 t/y.
Technical Brief
- Operational validation covered four discrete production campaigns on a commercial-scale system at the Virginia R&D facility.
- Every product sample from the campaigns met its specified oxygen limits, critical for aerospace-grade titanium alloys.
- Steady-state operation recorded substantially reduced magnesium and hydrogen consumption compared with earlier non‑continuous trials.
- SBIR funding is directed to equipment and manufacturing systems that expand domestic titanium powder‑to‑part capacity.
Our Take
The SBIR Phase III framework in the 31 August 2026 related piece already allows IperionX to receive up to $99 million in titanium orders from US defence agencies, so validating a sixfold throughput increase at the Virginia R&D facility directly strengthens its ability to execute against that ceiling rather than just pilot‑scale trials.
Our database notes that Western aerospace manufacturers are forecast to need 1.6 million tonnes of titanium by 2044 with no current US sponge production, so a 75% cut in energy intensity for recycled titanium at IperionX’s US site signals a potential route to partially de‑risk supply without rebuilding legacy sponge capacity.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
Related Articles
Related Industries & Products
Construction
Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.
Mining
Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.
QCDB-io
Comprehensive quality control database for manufacturing, tunnelling, and civil construction with UCS testing, PSD analysis, and grout mix design management.


