Isihlabathi esinombala sibhekisela ezinhlayiyeni zesihlabathi ezidaywe noma ezivela ngokwemvelo ngemibala ehlukahlukene. Singathengwa kumaminerali emvelo noma sikhiqizwe ngokwenziwa, ngasinye sinezici ezihlukile kanye nokusetshenziswa. Isihlabathi esinombala wemvelo sivame ukutholakala kumaminerali afana ne-quartz, i-feldspar, ne-mica, ambiwa ezindaweni ezifana ne-United States, i-China, i-Brazil, ne-India. Lawa maminerali anemibala yemvelo ngenxa yezinto ezincane kanye nokungcola, kusukela kubomvu obufudumele be-quartz ecebile yensimbi kuya kuluhlaza okuthambile kwesihlabathi esifakwe i-chlorite.​

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isihlabathi esinombala owenziwe ngokwenziwa sivame ukudalwa ngokumboza isihlabathi esivamile se-silica ngemibala engakhiqizi noma ephilayo. Inqubo yokukhiqiza ihilela izinyathelo eziningana eziqondile. Okokuqala, isihlabathi esiluhlaza siyagezwa kahle futhi sihlungwe ukuze kususwe ukungcola futhi kufezwe usayizi wezinhlayiya ezifanayo. Ngemuva kwalokho, kusetshenziswa amasu athuthukile okufaka umbala, njengokudaya ngokucwilisa, ukufutha nge-spray, noma ukuthulula,. Isibonelo, ukuthulula umbala kubopha izinhlayiya zesihlabathi emazingeni okushisa aphezulu, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi umbala uhlala isikhathi eside futhi ukumelana nokunyamalala.​

Izakhiwo eziyingqayizivele zesihlabathi esinombala zisenza sibe yinto ebaluleke kakhulu ezimbonini eziningi. Ekwakhiweni, sisetshenziswa kukhonkolo wokuhlobisa, i-terrazzo, kanye nodaka, okwengeza imibala egqamile kanye nokukhanga ubuhle ezakhiweni, ezindleleni zabahamba ngezinyawo, nasezindaweni zomphakathi. Isibonelo, ezindaweni zokungcebeleka zokunethezeka, ikhonkolo efakwe isihlabathi esinombala ingadala umbono wolwandle olushisayo. Ekulungiseni igadi, isebenza njenge-mulch ebamba iso, i-gravel ehlobisa yezindlela, kanye nendawo yokwakha imiklamo yengadi eyinkimbinkimbi. Ukumelana kwayo nesimo sezulu kanye nemisebe ye-UV kuqinisekisa ukuthi ukufakwa kwangaphandle kugcina imibala yayo ecacile ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.​