Kusukela ngo-Ephreli 2026, imakethe yomhlaba wonke ye-iron oxide pigment iyaqhubeka nokunyuka kwayo, iqhutshwa yisidingo esinamandla esivela ezimbonini zokwakha, ezokugqoka, kanye nezepulasitiki. Idatha yakamuva ikhombisa ukukhula okungu-5.2% unyaka nonyaka kwikota yokuqala, lapho abahlaziyi bebikezela ukuthi imakethe izodlula amaRandi ayizigidigidi ezingu-4.8 ngo-2030.

Umkhakha wokwakha usalokhu ungumthengi omkhulu kunabo bonke, ubanga ngaphezu kuka-45% wesidingo sonke. Ama-pigment e-iron oxide, anenani lokukhanya kwawo okuhle kakhulu kanye nokumelana nesimo sezulu, asetshenziswa kabanzi kukhonkolo enemibala, izitini, kanye nezinto zokufulela. Ukwanda kwentuthuko emadolobheni emazweni asafufusa, ikakhulukazi eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia nase-Afrika, kuye kwabangela ukwanda kwamaphrojekthi engqalasizinda, okwandisa ngqo ukusetshenziswa kwama-pigment.

Embonini yokugqoka, abakhiqizi baphendukela kakhulu kuma-pigment e-iron oxide ngenxa yezakhiwo zawo ezinobungani nemvelo. Ngokungafani nezinye izindlela zokwenziwa, ama-pigment e-iron oxide awanobuthi futhi angaphinde asetshenziswe ngokugcwele, okuhambisana nezinhlelo zokuzinza zomhlaba wonke. Umbiko wamuva nje wemboni uphawula ukuthi abakhiqizi bokugqoka abangu-68% bandise ukusetshenziswa kwabo kwama-pigment e-iron oxide ekwakhiweni okusekelwe emanzini, besabela emithethweni eqinile yezemvelo.

Ukusungula izinto ezintsha nakho kuyayibumba imakethe. Abacwaningi bathuthukise isizukulwane esisha sama-pigment e-iron oxide angangosayizi omncane anikeza amandla okukhulisa umbala kanye namakhono okusabalala. La ma-pigment athuthukile athola ukuthandwa ezinhlelweni zokusebenza eziphezulu, njengezingubo zezimoto kanye nokuqedwa kwezakhiwo, lapho ukunemba nokuqina kubaluleke kakhulu.

Ukuzinza kochungechunge lokuphakelwa kwempahla kuthuthukile uma kuqhathaniswa neminyaka edlule, njengoba abakhiqizi ababalulekile bethuthukisa izinqubo zokukhiqiza futhi bandisa amanethiwekhi okuthola izinto zokusetshenziswa. Kodwa-ke, amanani aguquguqukayo ensimbi kanye nezindleko zamandla kusalokhu kuyinselele engaba khona, okwenza abadlali bemboni batshale imali kubuchwepheshe bokukhiqiza obusebenzisa amandla ngendlela eyongayo.

Ochwepheshe bemboni bagcizelela ukuthi ukubambisana phakathi kwabakhiqizi be-pigment nabasebenzisi bokugcina kuzobaluleka ekukhuleni kwesikhathi esizayo. Ngokuvumelanisa imikhiqizo nezidingo ezithile zohlelo lokusebenza, lo mkhakha ungavula amathuba amasha ezimakethe ezikhethekile, okuhlanganisa ukuphrinta kwe-3D nezinto zokupakisha ezithuthukisiwe.

Ngokuhlanganiswa kwayo kokuthembeka, ukusimama, kanye nokusungula izinto ezintsha, imakethe ye-iron oxide pigment ilungele ukukhula okuqhubekayo, iqinisa isikhundla sayo njengesisekelo semboni yezinto zamakhemikhali zomhlaba wonke.