Ilitye lentaba-mlilo (elaziwa ngokuba yipumice okanye ibasalt enemingxuma) lilitye elisebenzayo nelinobuhlobo nokusingqongileyo, elilitye elixabisekileyo kakhulu elinemingxuma elenziwe yiglasi yentaba-mlilo, iiminerali, kunye namaqamza emva kokuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo. Ilitye lentaba-mlilo liqulathe amaminerali amaninzi kunye nezinto ezilandelelanayo ezifana nesodium, imagnesium, ialuminium, isilicon, icalcium, ititanium, imanganese, isinyithi, i-nickel, i-cobalt, kunye ne-molybdenum. Alinamiseli kwaye linamaza emagnethi akude. Emva kokuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo okungenalusini, emva kwamashumi amawaka eminyaka, abantu baya befumanisa ixabiso layo ngakumbi. Ngoku liye landisa amasimi alo okusetyenziswa kuwo anjengezakhiwo, ukugcinwa kwamanzi, ukugaya, izixhobo zokucoca, amalahle e-barbecue, ukulima umhlaba, ukulima ngaphandle komhlaba, kunye neemveliso zokuhombisa, lidlala indima engenakutshintshwa kumashishini ahlukeneyo.

Ilitye lentaba-mlilo luhlobo olutsha lwezinto ezisebenzayo nezinobuhlobo nokusingqongileyo, elilitye elixabisekileyo kakhulu elinemingxuma elenziwe yiglasi yentaba-mlilo, iiminerali, kunye namaqamza emva kokuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo. Ilitye lentaba-mlilo liqulathe amaminerali amaninzi kunye nezinto ezincinci ezifana nesodium, imagnesium, ialuminium, isilicon, icalcium, ititanium, imanganese, isinyithi, i-lithium, i-nickel, i-cobalt, kunye ne-molybdenum.

Iimpawu zayo zilula, amandla aphezulu, ubushushu obuphezulu, ukufunxwa kwesandi, ukumelana nomlilo, ukumelana ne-asidi kunye ne-alkali, ukumelana nokugqwala, ukungabikho kongcoliseko, ukungabikho kwemitha, kunye neembobo ezininzi ezincinci kumphezulu, njengembobo eluswini. Ukuntywila kwioyile yenjini kunokufunxa kancinci izinto zeoyile ezibalulekileyo, uze uzikhulule kancinci eluswini, uzivumele ukuba zingene emzimbeni womntu. Ukongeza, idityaniswe neemveliso zeoyile ezibalulekileyo ezenziweyo kunye neendlela ezikhethekileyo zokucoca ulwelo, amatye entaba-mlilo aye asetyenziswa ngakumbi kunyango kunye nobuhle kwiminyaka yakutshanje njengoko enokusombulula iingxaki ezininzi zesikhumba ezicaphukisayo.