Tata Steel’s planned Titanium Dioxide (TiO²) Project in Tamil Nadu is now poised to take concrete shape with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Company on June 28, 2007. The project will utilise the mineral sands deposit located in the Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu for mining and mineral separation, followed by value addition to Synthetic Rutile and TiO² pigment. Since the project area lies in the rain shadow region, which has ground water potential and no access to river water, a Seawater Desalination Plant and a power plant are being integrated with it.

The Memorandum of Understanding for the Rs 2500 crore project was signed in the presence of Dr M Karunanidhi, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Steel and Tata Sons by Mr Shaktikanta Das, IAS, Secretary, Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu and Mr B Muthuraman, Managing Director, Tata Steel. Prior to finalising the project details, Tata Steel had conducted a feasibility study with the help of an international consortium consisting of M/s Outokumpu, USA, PAH, USA and Larsen & Toubro Limited, with assistance from TZMI, Australia and MN Dastur Company Limited, India.