Ilmenite is a weakly magnetic titanium-iron oxide mineral which is iron-black or steel-gray. It is a crystalline iron titanium oxide (FeTiO3) with a hexagonal crystal system and a metallic lustre.
The majority of the ilmenite mined is used as a raw material for pigment production. The product is titanium dioxide, which is ground into a fine powder and is a highly white substance used as a base in high-quality paint, paper and plastics applications.
The sands of Sankaramangalam in Kerala were found to contain several rare earths like Ilmenite, Zircon and Rutile. KMML is involved in the harvesting of these minerals from the seas, which are used as basic raw materials for a variety of industries. The Mineral Separation Unit (MS Unit) is engaged in the separation of Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Monazite, Silliminite etc from the beach sand. The MS Unit employs Gravitational, Magnetic and High Tension Electrostatic Techniques for separation of minerals from the sand.
Raw Ilmenite is processed in various phases to arrive at the white pigment that is available to us as Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), which finds use in our every day life.
