When choosing machinery, factors such as productivity, reliability, and the ability to operate safely in demanding conditions play a decisive role in determining their place on the site. In the ground, it appears within soft, soapy, flaky mineral masses or veins, often white, pale green, grey, or brownish, with a greasy feel and dull to shiny appearance. It’s also easily scratched because it’s the softest mineral known. This is talc: a naturally occurring substance formed from magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. Its supple composition makes it valuable as a lubricant and filler, used in paper, paints, plastics, ceramics, and cosmetics. On a global scale, most of the ore is mined by Imerys, a French multinational corporation that was founded in the late 19th century. Evolving through mergers and acquisitions, it has become a major producer of specialty minerals. The Imerys portfolio includes the Three Springs talc mine in Three Springs, Western Australia, the largest talc reserve in the Southern Hemisphere. The deposits were first discovered in the area in the 1940s, and mining began soon after by the Western Mining Corporation, which operated the site for decades before selling it to Rio Tinto subsidiary The Luzenac Group in 2001. In 2011, Imerys expanded its presence in the talc market by acquiring Luzenac and several of its major mining operations.