RE: Synergies and efficiencies in WA23 Oct 2025 19:51
ML thanks for the posts, great to get back to some discussion. Having read your post I went and had a read of andrbea’s post -
https://www.australianmining.com.au/iluka-accelerates-eneabba/
This has Iluka already producing from their mine……………
Iluka also reported solid operational performance in its mineral sands business. The company produced 124,000 tonnes of zircon, rutile and synthetic rutile in the September quarter, including 40,000 tonnes of zircon sand and 58,000 tonnes of synthetic rutile. Year-to-date zircon sales reached 202,000 tonnes, five per cent higher than 2024.
Having looked at Synthetic Rutile, it is described on the Iluka website as:
TITANIUM DIOXIDE PRODUCTS,
SYNTHETIC RUTILE
Synthetic rutile is produced by upgrading ilmenite in a rotary kiln. It is a high grade titanium dioxide feedstock with typical TiO2 content of 88-95% TiO2. Iluka’s Synthetic Rutile is processed in kilns at the company’s operations in south west Western Australia.
NATURAL RUTILE
Natural rutile is a naturally occurring very high-grade titanium dioxide feedstock (TiO2 content of 92-95%). Iluka’s natural rutile is produced from our Australian operations and is sold for end use in pigment, welding and many other applications.
If I am reading this right, either they give up the production of the Rutile, and concentrate on the other rare earths, or, our product knocks the spots off their refining process and leaves theirs pretty much uneconomical, does this not put us in direct competition with a mine that has a massive head start?
GLA
Danno