KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has confirmed that the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone will forge ahead with construction of a titanium dioxide plant as soon as the lockdown reached Level 1.
Dube-Ncube says that the directors of Nyanza Light Metals have affirmed their commitment to continue with the proposed R4.5-billion investment in the plant, after the plant’s construction was derailed by the outbreak of Covid-19.
Nyanza Light Metals was established in 2011 by private equity company Arkein Industrial Holdings of Johannesburg for the purpose of exploiting the Witbank slag resource.
The KwaZulu-Natal government has allocated 65 ha of land for the plant, which will produce titanium dioxide pigment from titaniferous slag and acid.
More than 800 jobs are expected to be created during construction of the plant, while 300 direct permanent jobs will be filled during operation.
The construction of the plant will occur in two phases; with Phase 1 comprising a pilot and demonstration plant valued at R2-billion and Phase 2 a full plant for the balance of the investment.
The plant will use 320 000 t/y of sulphuric acid, 36 000 t/y of ammonium sulphate, 380 000 t/y of lime and 250 000 t/y of feed material to produce the titanium dioxide.