QIT Madagascar Minerals S.A. (QMM) is an ilmenite mining project located in south-east Madagascar. It consists of three deposits that will be mined sequentially (Mandena, Ste Luce and Petriky).

At Mandena, Petriky and Ste Luce, Avoidance Zones have been established on the ilmenite deposits to protect those blocks of littoral forest that are in the best condition. These AZ have been officially incorporated into Madagascar’s national Protected Areas network. They represent a cost to Rio Tinto QMM of c.8% of foregone ilmenite and protect 27% of forest cover on the deposit. Collectively, they cover a total area of 624 ha.

Ilmenite contains titanium dioxide, used principally as a raw material in the manufacture of white pigment. It is mined using a dredge situated on artificial ponds that move across the ore body as mining progresses. Ore processing is minimal and takes place on site through electromagnetic and electrostatic separation. Processed ore is transported by truck to the port for export.

Ilmenite mined in Madagascar is being processed in Canada.

The raw material mined by QMM is shipped to Rio Tinto’s Fer et Titane processing plant in Canada, where it is transformed into a 90 per cent titanium dioxide chloride slag. The slag is supplied to global titanium feedstock markets and used primarily by titanium dioxide pigment producers. The pigment is used as a white finish in paint, plastic, paper and dye.

key factor in the development of the ilmenite reduction process was the need to refine the ore before smelting. In 1954, the Ore Pretreatment Plant was built. The new plant crushed the ore into smaller pieces to remove more gangue, and then roasted it in rotary furnaces to reduce the sulphur content.

In 1982, the company added a magnetic separation process to improve the refining process further. The result was a richer titanium slag, with nearly ten per cent higher levels of iron andtitanium oxides.