[lazide]

There is no shortage of titanium ore. Titanium is the 9th most abundant element in the earths crust, at roughly .5%.

There was at the time a severe shortage of usable titanium refined metal. Refining Titanium is much more difficult than aluminum.

The soviets had over invested in the ability to produce it, so it was more economic to get it from them than try to produce the capacity here.