Chemicals manufacturing company Nyanza Light Metals has invested R4.5-billion on the construction of a plant to produce titanium dioxide at the Richard’s Bay Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), in KwaZulu-Natal.
The announcement was made by Finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube during a Public Sector Procurement Forum this week.
She said construction of the plant was under way.
Titanium dioxide pigment is widely used in the manufacturing of products such as paint, industrial coatings, plastic, paper, ink, food, medicine and most toothpastes.
“The first phase [will involve] the construction of a technical services centre which will house a semi-production plant with an investment value of R200-million. [This will be followed by] the main production plant.
“At peak production, the main commercial plant will produce over 80 000 t/y of titanium dioxide pigment, as well as other nano-titanium-related products from titaniferous slags," the MEC said.