Rutile is an interesting, varied and important mineral. Rutile is a major ore of titanium, a metal used for high tech alloys because of its light weight, high strength and resistance to corrosion. It can be generally described as Heavy mineral sand containing titanium. It looks like black or brown sand particles. Originally, Rutile was discovered in parts of Ukraine and Australia.

Rutile is mainly used for making of TiO2 pigment, Welding electrodes, Titanium metal, coloring agent in ceramic and glass products and as filler in paints.

Mostly the colour of Rutile ranges from black to reddish brown, and it’s found in the form of large thick crystals or golden yellow or rusty yellow as inclusions or in thin crystals. They have an adamantine to submetallic luster. The rutile crystals are transparent in rather thin crystals, otherwise opaque.

Crystal habits include eight sided prisms and blocky crystals terminated by a blunt four sided or complex pyramid. The prisms are composed of two four sided prisms with one of the prisms being dominant.

The specific gravity of Rutile sand is 4.2+ which is slightly heavy. It is a Titanium mineral and Titanium minerals are used in the production of titanium dioxide pigment. Pure white, highly refractive, ultra violet absorbing, non toxic and inert, titanium pigments are used in protective coatings, such as house and car paints, sunscreens, plastics, paper and textiles, as well as a growing number of foodstuffs and cosmetics.

Among the renowned heavy mineral mining companies in India is V.V. Mineral, based in Tamil Nadu. V.V. Minerals India deals with Garnet mining, Rutile Mining, Ilmenite mining and Zircon Mining.