Staurolite is primarily produced as a by-product of heavy-mineral sands operations (alongside ilmenite, zircon, rutile) and serves mainly as a low-silica blasting abrasive. Production depends on flowsheet choices—operators may recover, stockpile, or discard staurolite based on market conditions and plant design. Recovery involves gravity and magnetic separation with subsequent sizing. Because it is a by-product, supply elasticity can be limited: when primary products (TiO₂ feedstocks, zircon) dictate plant throughput, staurolite output follows, not vice versa.