"Akome" ironsand is found mixed with sand made from an igneous rock called diorite. The magnetite in the sand contains often greater than 5% titanium dioxide, which lowers the smelting temperature. The "akome" ironsand is used in the tatara to make pig iron, which is then used to make items out of cast iron ("nabegane"). In the manufacture of steel, the "akome" was added to the tatara during the initial stage of smelting, acting as a binder and catalyst for steel production, upon which the "masa" ironsand was poured during further stages. When smelted for pig iron, 1000 pounds of sand (~ 450 kilograms or 120 "kanme") typically yielded about 200 pounds of pig iron, 20 pounds of steel, and 70 pounds of slag. When smelted for steel, 1000 pounds of sand yielded about 100 pounds of steel, 100 pounds of slag, and 90 pounds of pig iron. Slag and pig iron that were not suitable for use were then melted together to form wrought iron, of which 1000 pounds mixed produced about 500 pounds of iron.