THURSDAY, 9.30AM:
CONSTRUCTION has begun on Richards Bay Minerals’ massive new titanium plant. The project, budgeted to cost more than R900-million, forms the major part of a five-year, R1,3-billion upgrade of RBM operations.
The new mine, situated in the Zulti North lease area, is intended to enable RBM to maintain existing production levels and keep its position in the export market, rather than increase output. It is scheduled for completion towards the end of 1999.
RBM produces an annual one million tons of titanium slag, used by the pigment industry for paint, paper and plastics. The biggest operation of its kind, it also supplies the world’s aerospace, defence, ceramics and glass industries with almost a third of their titanium oxide, rutile, zircon and ductile iron.