Discovered in the late 1500's, titanium was named for the mythological giants, the Titans. In the 1940's, it was used by the space and defense industries. Today, titanium is used in aerospace applications, automobiles, prosthetics, buildings, and sporting equipment.
Titanium is a paradox.
Supplies of pure titanium are rare, though titanium ores such as ilmenite and rutile are very common. The ores of these metals are concentrated in large, easily mined bodies, while titanium ores are dispersed throughout the earth's crust. Only five percent of the titanium mined today is used in its pure metal form. Titanium, which weighs forty percent less than carbon steels, can be strengthened by alloying it with elements such as aluminum and vanadium. Titanium is nonmagnetic and possesses good heat transfer properties.