Products
The Moma Mine's primary product is ilmenite (accounting for 79% of revenue in 2021), with the associated co-products of primary zircon (15% of revenue), concentrates including mineral sands concentrate (5% of revenue), and rutile (1% of revenue).[15]
Kenmare is the world's fourth largest producer of titanium feedstocks (ilmenite and rutile), which are primarily used to make titanium dioxide (Ti02) pigment. TiO2 pigment impart whiteness and opacity in the manufacture of paper, paint, plastics and multiple other ‘quality of life’ items like inks, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The company is responsible for 8% of global supply of titanium feedstocks at current production levels.[16]
The Moma Mine also produces zircon, which is an important raw material for the ceramics industry, and mineral sands concentrate, which is used in various clean technology applications.[15]
Ilmenite is a common accessory mineral in igneous rocks, sediments, and sedimentary rocks in many parts of the world. Apollo astronauts found abundant ilmenite in lunar rocks and the lunar regolith. Ilmenite is a black iron-titanium oxide with a chemical composition of FeTiO3. Ilmenite is the primary ore of titanium, a metal needed to make a variety of high-performance alloys. Most of the ilmenite mined worldwide is used to manufacture titanium dioxide, TiO2, an important pigment, whiting, and polishing abrasive.[17]
Zircon is a zirconium silicate mineral with a chemical composition of ZrSiO4. It is common throughout the world as a minor constituent of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Zircon is present in most soils and clastic sediments. Zircon-rich sediments are mined and the recovered zircon is used to produce zirconium metal and zirconium dioxide. These are used in a wide variety of manufactured products and industrial processes.[18]
Rutile is a titanium oxide mineral that is most commonly found in granites, pegmatites, and metamorphic rocks. It is also found in sands derived from the weathering of these rocks. Rutile also forms as slender crystals within quartz and micas. It is a common mineral in the alluvial sands that are dredged for magnetite and ilmenite. Rutile is used as a coating on welding rods. It is also used as an ore of titanium, a metal used where light weight and high strength are needed. Some rutile is used in the production of pigments for paints.[19]
In Q4 2018 Kenmare introduced a new product stream called mineral sands concentrate, which contains monazite. Monazite is a rare phosphate mineral with a chemical composition of (Ce,La,Nd,Th)(PO4,SiO4). It usually occurs in small isolated grains, as an accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks such as granite, pegmatite, schist, and gneiss. These grains are resistant to weathering and become concentrated in soils and sediments downslope from the host rock. When in high enough concentrations, they are mined for their rare earth and thorium content.[19] Monazite is an important source of thorium, cerium, and other rare elements. Often mined as a byproduct from heavy mineral deposits. Kenmare despatched its first shipment of mineral sands concentrate from the Moma Mine in Q2 2019.[20]
