Itshe lentaba-mlilo (elivame ukwaziwa ngokuthi i-pumice noma i-basalt enezimbobo) liyinto esebenzayo futhi enobungani nemvelo, okuyitshe eliyigugu kakhulu elinezimbobo elakhiwe yingilazi yentaba-mlilo, amaminerali, kanye nama-bubble ngemva kokuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo. Itshe lentaba-mlilo liqukethe amaminerali amaningi kanye nezinto ezilandelanayo ezifana ne-sodium, i-magnesium, i-aluminium, i-silicon, i-calcium, i-titanium, i-manganese, insimbi, i-nickel, i-cobalt, ne-molybdenum. Alinamiseli futhi linamagagasi kazibuthe akude kakhulu. Ngemva kokuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo okunonya, ngemva kweminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi, abantu bayaqhubeka bethola inani lalo. Manje selikhulise amasimu alo okusetshenziswa emikhakheni efana nokwakha izakhiwo, ukugcinwa kwamanzi, ukugaya, izinto zokuhlunga, amalahle e-barbecue, ukuhlobisa insimu, ukulima okungenanhlabathi, kanye nemikhiqizo yokuhlobisa, lidlala indima engenakuphikwa ezimbonini ezahlukene.

Itshe lentaba-mlilo uhlobo olusha lwezinto ezisebenzayo nezinobungani nemvelo, okuyitshe eliyigugu kakhulu elinezimbobo elakhiwe yingilazi yentaba-mlilo, amaminerali, nama-bubble ngemva kokuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo. Itshe lentaba-mlilo liqukethe amaminerali amaningi kanye nezinto ezincane ezifana ne-sodium, i-magnesium, i-aluminium, i-silicon, i-calcium, i-titanium, i-manganese, insimbi, i-lithium, i-nickel, i-cobalt, kanye ne-molybdenum.

Izici zayo zilula, amandla aphezulu, ukuvikela ukushisa, ukumuncwa komsindo, ukumelana nomlilo, ukumelana ne-asidi ne-alkali, ukumelana nokugqwala, ukungabi nokungcola, ukungabikho kwemisebe, kanye nezindawo eziningi ezincane ebusweni, njengezindawo ezimboziwe esikhumbeni. Ukucwilisa uwoyela wenjini kungamunca kancane kancane izingxenye zamafutha abalulekile, bese kuzikhulula kancane kancane esikhumbeni, okuzivumela ukuthi zingene emzimbeni womuntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuhlanganiswe nemikhiqizo yamafutha abalulekile eklanyiwe kanye namasu akhethekile okususa ukungcola kocingo, amatshe entaba-mlilo asetshenziswe kakhulu kwezokwelapha kanye nobuhle eminyakeni yamuva nje njengoba engaxazulula izinkinga eziningi zesikhumba ezicasulayo.