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Ilmenite (FeTiO₃) is a weakly magnetic iron-black or steel-gray mineral found in metamorphic and plutonic igneous rocks. Although named after the locality of its discovery in the Il'menski Mountains, near Miass, Russia, most of the ilmenite mined is, however, recovered from secondary sources such as beach sands. It composed of an iron titanium oxide in crystalline form. The majority of the ilmenite mined is used as a raw material for pigment production. The product here is titanium dioxide, which is an extremely white substance used as a base in high quality paint. It is commonly massive, but also occurs in rhombohedral crystals. In the beach sands it is normally found as rounded particles with a diameter of betweem 0.1 and 0.2 mm. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Titanium dioxide is processed from titanium ore, whether rutile or ilmenite, and used as a brilliant white pigment which imparts whiteness and opacity to paints, plastics and paper. TiO2 is by far the most widely used pigment and is often considered a quality of life product used in applications associated with wealth and economic growth. Its major end use sectors manufacture products that are consumer oriented, including paints for houses, vehicles and white goods; quality printing papers, inks for books and plastic products for packaging. Its hiding power - its ability to mask other colours - is a prime requirement for paints and other coatings.

There are no real substitutes for titanium dioxide. Competing materials such as kaolin clays and calcium carbonate have failed to match the performance of TiO2 pigments and are only used as substitutes in low-grade products.

Titanium dioxide is inorganic and inert and possesses a number of other desirable qualities, such as resistance to chemical attack, ultraviolet degradation and heat. New applications for TiO2 are constantly being developed.