Idwala Carbonates mines a deposit of unique super white calcitic and dolomitic limestone which provides the raw material for our range of fine carbonate products. Situated on the Umzimkulu River near Port Shepstone on the Kwa Zulu Natal south coast, Idwala Carbonates extracts some of the whitest carbonates in the world.

The operation is an efficient, technically advanced producer of our beneficiated range of carbonates under the Kulubrite name for use in the manufacture of paper, paint, plastics, ceramics and chemicals.

The production process begins with the quarrying of the raw limestone which is then taken through two stages of crushing to reduce it to small, manageable lumps. This material is scrubbed and washed to remove surface clay and dust before being sent through a third crushing process to further reduce it to granules. Up to this stage in the production process the product is unfloated and ranges in mean particle size from 15 micron to larger granules.

This granulated material is processed through a floatation plant where non carbonates are removed, thereby improving the chemical quality and colour of the product. This floated product which is in filter cake form is dried using flash dryers. The dried product is finally milled and classified to produce powders of various particle size distributions, ranging in mean particle size from 1 micron to 45 microns. These super-white, superfine powders are stored in silos, awaiting either packaging or bulk distribution to customers as our Kulubrite range of products.

At every stage of the production process the material is subject to rigorous quality control with the final product being tested with state-of-the-art analytical technologies. This ensures that the unique quality and colour characteristics of the raw resources are preserved to produce a world-class product on which our customers know they can rely on.

Idwala  Carbonates:  Port Shepstone

Lot 21
Oribi Flats
Port Shepstone