History

Iwatani Australia (previously known as Doral Pty Ltd) is a subsidiary of Iwatani Corporation and includes the Doral Group of companies being Doral Mineral Sands and Doral Fused Materials.

Doral Fused Materials (DFM) was established in October 1982 as a joint venture between Japan Abrasive Company (JACO) and Doral Mineral Industries Limited (DMIL).

DFM's first product was a high purity, white fused alumina raw material used for steel making refractories for the Australian and Japanese markets. The initial alumina furnace was commissioned in September 1991 while a second alumina furnace was built and commissioned in January 1995.

During this period DFM sourced Japanese technology to build a fused zirconia facility which was commissioned in November 1994. This plant was designed to initially produce high quality, fused zirconia for steel and glass making refractories but later developed products for use in ceramic colours applications.

Separately, Doral Mineral Sands Pty Ltd (DMS) was established in 2002 to mine heavy mineral sands at its Dardanup operation and process the minerals through a mineral separation plant in Picton. Its current operations include Yalyalup, near Busselton and the Keysbrook mineral sands mine which the Company acquired from MZI Resources in July 2019. Keysbrook is located in the Peel region of Western Australia.

In May 2021, Doral Pty Ltd changed its name to Iwatani Australia Pty Ltd to reflect the Australian relationship with Iwatani Corporation in Japan and the Company’s emerging hydrogen developments occurring within Australia.