All organs of every system have to work in unity to create and maintain sustainability. That was the gospel
that was preached and evidently practiced by all speakers and organisations that were part of the celebration ceremony for the opening of the Tronox Fairbreeze Mineral Sands Mine situated near tunzini, KwaZulu-Natal.  Premier of KZN, Senzo Mchunu, His Worship the Mayor Cllr TB Zulu, representatives from the Department of Mineral Resources, the Workers Union, local ndunas, and the international CEO of Tronox, Tom Casey were all in attendance.

The KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu and other speakers, spoke of a society that worked within all its structures to build a better life for all. When government, the private sector and communities work hand in
hand, with great focus on job creation and skills development programmes for youth, every individual has the opportunity of a sustainable life.

Premier Mchunu described Fairbreeze Mine as a “fresh breeze of prosperity”. He said, â€œAs government, we believe that Fairbreeze Mine is an integral part of our provincial industrial development strategy, which enjoins us to increase the level of mineral beneficiation as a means of increasing employment and
adding more value to our natural resources before export. This process will eventually help move us from being a Third World exporter of primary commodities to a First World exporter of manufactured products.”

That is the good story Casey and the Tronox team has proven possible with the Fairbreeze project. In summary, Casey mentioned that the project created over 1000 jobs since it started, trained and employed 140 artisans from all the seven surrounding communities and worked on various projects, one of which
went on to put in place a trust that has already seen 25 of the youth in the communities receiving bursaries for tertiary education.  A further 1000 indirect and direct jobs will be created for the
local community in the next few months. In total, more than R5 billion will be invested during the expansion of the mine which will take place over the next few years.

The main product of the mine is titanium dioxide, most of which will be supplied to Tronox’s own US, Dutch and Australian plants producing pigment, an ingredient of paint and plastics.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Exxaro, headed by CEO Mxolisi Mgojo, has a 45% shareholding in Tronox and is the company’s 26% South African empowerment partner.  Tronox also operates South Africa’s Namakwa mineral sands operation and benefits from a vertically integrated
suite of mines, smelters and pigment plants.

www.tronox.com