Check out Scientific American (Oct 2003) article "Alchemy of a
Supermetal" A new process for wresting pure titanium from ore may
soon make the affordable titanium hull and other sailboat components a
reality. The pure form of the ninth most common element on earth is
expensive now only because of the chemical reduction process currently
used to extract it. A few bright metallurgists at Cambridge have
found a significantly easier way to produce it. The challenge now is
to produce it in commercial volume. Might be worth investing.
Scout