The heavy minerals found in the dunal deposits along the coast of northern KwaZulu-Natal originate from inland. Over the years, weathering of host rock has released the minerals, which, because of their durability, relatively high density, and high chemical stability, withstand the weathering process and are transported down rivers to the ocean. It is from here that the minerals ilmenite, rutile, and zircon originate.

From a geological point of view, the ore bodies are highly complex and the behaviour of the minerals in the plant may vary considerably across the ore body.

RBM uses a system of ponds and floating dredges to mine the ore body, where heavy valuable minerals such as ilmenite, zircon and rutile are recovered from the sand.

Heavy minerals are extracted from the nearby dunes by dredging and concentration on a floating gravity separation plant, followed by separation of the ilmenite, rutile and zircon at the mineral separation plant located at the smelter site. The ilmenite is processed through an oxidizing roast followed by magnetic separation and is then partially reduced to an 85 per cent TiO2 slag in one of four six-in-line a.c. electric arc furnaces.

The slag is milled and then classified into two product sizes suitable as a raw material for both the sulphate and chloride pigment processes. The high quality iron produced during the reduction process is further processed to produce various grades of low-manganese iron. Around 95 per cent of the products are exported, yielding a world market share of about 25 per cent of titania slag, rutile, high quality pig iron, and zircon.