Manufacturing Processes

Manufacturing processes

As an industry leader, Rio Tinto Metal Powders is constantly improving our products and perfecting new applications. However, it’s in our manufacturing process where we really stand out.

Manufacturing in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada


Rio Tinto’s ilmenite mine at Havre St. Pierre, Quebec is renowned for the purity and consistency of its large ilmenite ore body. We treat the ore from this mine at our Sorel-Tracy smelter to produce two products:

  • Titanium dioxide, for the pigment industry

  • High purity iron (HPI)

The HPI produced from this process is very high quality. We use this HPI in our ferrous powders. Rio Tinto Metal Powders is the only world-class, fully integrated powder manufacturer (from virgin ore to finished powder).

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Manufacturing in Suzhou, China


QMP started powder manufacturing in Suzhou, China in May 2005. This site includes our FLOMET blending plant, an administration office, a product warehouse, and a customer technical service laboratory. In 2014, we expanded the Suzhou facility with the addition of a new, 8000mt per year metal powders annealing plant, as well as increased laboratory space and technical capabilities.

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