Low-carbon titanium developer IperionX (ASX:IPX) has agreed to a Scope of Work (SoW) with Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) to supply titanium metal components for Ford racing cars.

IperionX reports it has been collaborating with Ford to design, test, and additively manufacture a series of ‘high-quality’ titanium components for future Ford Performance production vehicles. Ford Performance is the ‘high-performance’ and racing division of Ford, which produces a range of performance cars including the F150 Raptor, Bronco Raptor, Mustang Mach 1, and the Shelby GT500.

Under the SoW, key project deliverables, costs, and timing will be undertaken, with this work expected to be completed in Q3 2023. This work is intended to be funded by a purchase order, through purchase order management organisation GP&M, valued at about US$49,000.

The SoW follows a detailed program of quality and strength testing of IperionX’s low-carbon, circular titanium metal. Ford’s Sustainability and Advanced Materials divisions undertook a range of testing procedures that verified IperionX’s titanium surpassed the required parameters set under the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standards.

Automotive parts made with titanium are notable for superior strength-to-weight ratios, ‘high’ levels of corrosion resistance, and ‘outstanding’ durability. Further, they can be recycled at the end of their product life.

IperionX says its proprietary technologies can unlock ‘significant’ sustainability benefits that are ‘critical’ for a low-carbon, fully circular titanium automotive supply chain, noting this hasn’t been achieved with any other known commercial titanium production process.

Commencing on the SoW, IperionX Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Anastasios (Taso) Arima says: “Ford has a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. We are proud to partner with Ford to accelerate the deployment of a sustainable, circular titanium supply chain for the global automotive market.

Our low-carbon titanium metal is uniquely made with 100% recycled titanium and can significantly improve automotive supply chains by using high-strength titanium components with nearly half the weight of steel.

“IPERIONX IS RE-SHORING A LOWER-COST AND MORE SUSTAINABLE US TITANIUM SUPPLY CHAIN, SHIFTING FROM A LINEAR SUPPLY CHAIN TO A LOWER-CARBON, CIRCULAR TITANIUM SUPPLY CHAIN”

IperionX is re-shoring a lower-cost and more sustainable US titanium supply chain, shifting from a linear supply chain to a lower-carbon, circular titanium supply chain — recycling titanium scrap to manufacture low-carbon, high-performance titanium components. We are pleased that Ford has partnered with us to improve automotive supply chains and scale our low-carbon, circular, titanium business.”

IperionX is an ASX-listed company with a mission to become the leading developer of low-carbon titanium for advanced industries including space, aerospace, electric vehicles, and 3D printing.

The company holds an exclusive option to acquire breakthrough titanium technologies that can produce titanium products that are low-carbon and fully circular. IperionX is producing titanium metal powders from titanium scrap at its operational pilot facility in Utah and intends to scale production at a Titanium Demonstration Facility in Virginia.

The company holds a 100% interest in the Titan Project in Tennessee, which it says has the ‘largest’ JORC-compliant resource of titanium, rare earth, and zircon-rich mineral sands in the US.

Ford aims to be the only manufacturer competing in Formula 1, Le Mans 24 Hours with Mustang GT3, WRC with M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1, Baja 1000 with Ranger Raptor and Bronco, and NASCAR and Supercars with Mustang.

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