Southern Ionics Minerals Mines Success in Southeast Georgia
What do the endangered gopher tortoise and the paint ingredient titanium have in common? The mineral-rich sandhills of southeast Georgia are home to both.
When mineral manufacturer Southern Ionics Minerals (SIM) learned its mining property included gopher tortoise habitat, the company quickly connected with the University of Georgia, one of the state’s preeminent research institutions, to develop a creative solution for moving tortoises to a protected environment, balancing business with conservation.
“UGA has been a wonderful partner,” says Stuart Forrester, minerals operations director for SIM. “We appreciate the state’s commitment to balancing economic concerns with responsible stewardship of our natural resources. Georgia’s commitment to conservation aligns with SIM’s commitment to operating responsibly.”
While finding homes for tortoises may be an unusual example of Georgia’s support for businesses and industry partners, the program illustrates how the state mobilizes traditional and non-traditional areas of expertise to help businesses grow.
Mineral manufacturer SIM has been a Southeast Georgia success story for almost a decade. It has expanded three times, and at each stage, the State of Georgia was there to help.
“The counties and State of Georgia are here to do business,” says Forrester. “State and local representatives have creatively identified ways to grow our business. We now proudly support 225 direct full-time employees.”
In 2008, as Southern Ionics, Inc. (SII) began planning mineral development in Georgia, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD)’s representative in the region worked with the company and local economic development authorities to streamline SII’s acquisition of the property, which straddled two counties, for the development of the company’s new Mission Mine, opened in 2014.
Southern Ionics formed Southern Ionics Minerals (SIM) as a subsidiary in 2012, and SIM established a state-of-the-art mineral processing facility in Offerman, Georgia, in 2015. Since SIM became a fully owned subsidiary of The Chemours Company in 2019, it has continued to grow, investing $100 million in a Jesup mine recently opened in Wayne County. The Jesup Mine, like Mission Mine, supplies the Offerman plant with heavy mineral concentrate, more than doubling production.
GDEcD, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Pierce County Development Authority and the City of Offerman, supported the expansion with incentives and infrastructure specific to the project that were tied to the creation of well-paying jobs in the region.
“This support opened further opportunities for Georgians,” says Forrester. “Our presence has led to new business openings and has helped existing businesses flourish. Charlton, Wayne, Pierce, Brantley and other nearby counties have been incredibly supportive.”
The availability of natural gas, rail service, highway access, water facilities and proximity to mineral deposits make Offerman ideal for the separation plant. Southeast Georgia’s inland counties are rich in zircon and titanium minerals.
Zircon is an opaque, hard-wearing, inert mineral primarily used in the production of ceramic tiles. Georgia zircon has unique properties that make it a critical ingredient for precision investment casting, an industry that manufactures jet engine turbine blades. One such customer is PCC Airfoils LLC in Douglas, Georgia. Titanium dioxide is mined as ilmenite or rutile, dark-colored minerals which, when processed, become white and opaque, suitable as a whitening pigment in paints, plastics and paper. The raw minerals are also used in the manufacture of titanium metal and welding flux wire cord.
Forrester has high praise for Georgia workers, stating, “We’ve been actively recruiting for the new Jesup mine as we continue to create jobs for the region. Our dedicated group of hardworking employees cherish having high-paying, full-time jobs close to home, and being able to work for an environmentally responsible company. They were honored when Governor Brian Kemp made the Offerman plant part of his Georgia Made™ tour: they’re very proud to be making positive contributions to the Georgia economy.”
Georgia Made™ is a program through GDEcD that provides additional support in logistics, manufacturing and marketing of products produced in Georgia.
“We expend tremendous effort to produce high-quality mineral sands for a wide variety of industries throughout the country. The program promotes Georgia as an ideal place to do business, which will bring quality goods and services closer to our plants, improving our operational capabilities,” says Forrester. “With the Governor’s leadership, all levels of government work together to provide support. Georgia is committed to business growth, working closely with businesses to understand their needs and remove barriers, and ensuring that prosperity benefits everyone. This gives us confidence as we grow.”
Consistently ranked the “#1 State for Business” for seven years running, Georgia’s skilled workforce, reliable infrastructure, low taxes, high state credit ratings and development resources are here to help you start and grow your business. Visit Georgia Made to take the next step in expanding your success.