perlite 2014 winter final

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PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC. WINTER 2014 A Quarterly Publication of the Perlite Institute DISTRIBUTED IN J ANUARY 2014 IN THIS ISSUE 2 ...... Message from the President 2 ...... Board of Directors 3 ...... Member Profile: Gulf Perlite 5 ...... Message from the Executive Director 5 ...... News from the Perlite Institute 6 ...... Why Perlite Rocks 10 ...... The Perlite Papers 12 ...... Patents: Two Thumbs Up for Perlite 12 ...... Perlite Patents 13 ...... Industry News 14 ...... Technical Q&As 15 ...... Selected Upcoming Trade Shows and Meetings 16 ...... New Product Guide Dubai, home to the world's tallest skyscraper, the only seven-star luxury hotel, the biggest man-made islands and Gulf Perlite. Go to page 3 to learn more about this member company and its place within this rapidly growing region in the United Arab Emirates. Photo by David Nightingale Photo provided by Travelocity NASA photo

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Page 1: Perlite 2014 winter final

PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.

WIN

TER

20

14

A Q u a r t e r l y P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Pe r l i t e I n s t i t u t e DIS

TR

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01

4

IN T

HIS

ISSU

E 2 ...... Message from the President

2 ...... Board of Directors

3 ...... Member Profile: Gulf Perlite

5 ...... Message from the Executive Director

5 ...... News from the Perlite Institute

6 ...... Why Perlite Rocks

10 ...... The Perlite Papers

12 ...... Patents: Two Thumbs Up for Perlite

12 ...... Perlite Patents

13 ...... Industry News

14 ...... Technical Q&As

15 ...... Selected Upcoming Trade Shows and Meetings

16 ...... New Product Guide

Dubai, home to the world's tallestskyscraper, the only seven-star luxury

hotel, the biggest man-made islands andGulf Perlite. Go to page 3 to learn more

about this member company and itsplace within this rapidly growing region

in the United Arab Emirates.

Phot

o by

Dav

id N

ight

inga

le

Phot

o pr

ovid

ed b

y Tr

avel

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NASA

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Page 2: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 2

2014 Board of Directors for the Perlite Institute

A New Year Brings New PlansHappy New Year!

Those of us who were able to participate in 2013’sBoard meeting in Reno, Nev., and the AnnualMeeting in Sydney, Australia, have memories thatwill last a lifetime. I cannot give enough thanks toMatt Goecker and Matthew Malaghan and theirentire organizations at EP Minerals and AustralianPerlite for absolutely rolling out the red carpet for us.

Now that 2014 has begun, we have our work cut outfor us planning our early April Board meeting inPhiladelphia, Pa., and our early September AnnualMeeting in Park City, Utah. Additions and revisions

to our literature and databasewill continue as well as improvements to ourwebsite.

I would like to thank you all for your hard workand support of Perlite Institute and wish everyonea happy and prosperous 2014.

Message from the Presidentby Linda Chirico

OFFICERSPRESIDENTLinda Chirico

Carolina Perlite Company, Inc.Gold Hill, N.C.

704-279-2325

[email protected]

VICE PRESIDENTMatt Goecker

EP Minerals LLCReno, Nev.

775-824-7658

[email protected]

TREASURERKeith Hoople

Midwest Perlite, Inc.Appleton, Wis.

920-731-2671

[email protected]

PAST PRESIDENT / ADVISORKathryn Louis

Sun Gro Horticulture Canada, Ltd.Bellevue, Wash.

425-433-0170

[email protected]

DIRECTORSRichard Barabé

Perlite CanadaLachine, Quebec, Canada

514-631-4251

[email protected]

Sebastien CaspardImerys Performance &

Filtration MineralsParis, France

(33) 633 50 82 17

[email protected]

Mike HessIdaho Minerals LLCMalad City, Idaho

208-766-4777 or 800-767- 4701

[email protected]

René van der MarkPull Rhenen b.v.Rhenen, Netherlands

(31) 318-471001

[email protected]

Matthew MalaghanAustralian Perlite Pty LimitedSydney, Australia

61 2 9316 0054

[email protected]

Jerry MishlerSupreme PerlitePortland, Ore.

503-286-4333

[email protected]

Rick WillisSilbrico CorporationHodgkins, Ill.

708-354-3350

[email protected]

is a quarterly publication

of the

Perlite Institute, Inc.2207 Forest Hills Drive

Harrisburg, PA 17112 USA

Phone: 717.238.9723Fax: 717.238.9985

Winter issue is distributed in JanuarySpring issue is distributed in AprilSummer issue is distributed in JulyFall issue is distributed in October

www.perlite.org

Did you know the Perlite Institute celebratesits 65th anniversary this year? Go to page 5to read more about this from ExecutiveDirector Denise Calabrese.

Page 3: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 3

Konstantin Mitsiou, the managing director of GulfPerlite LLC in Dubai, recently spent some time inthe United States and stopped by the PerliteInstitute office for a brief visit with staff membersto discuss matters related to the Institute. Duringhis visit, we picked his brain about his companyand the perlite industry as a whole. Here’s some of what he had to share.

Tell us about your company, Gulf Perlite, andyour location in Dubai.

We are a manufacturer of expanded perlite forconstructional, horticultural and cryogenicapplications. We have about 20 employees,including five civil engineers. Although I grew up

in Greece and attendedschool in the UnitedStates, I chose to start mycompany in the majorport of Jebel Ali, Dubai,because the Persian Gulfregion was missing aperlite manufacturer.Dubai is a rapidlygrowing, cosmopolitancity in the United Arab

Emirates. It has become the cultural and businesshub of the Persian Gulf region. Although UAE’seconomy was built on the oil industry, this area isnow booming with new construction andlandscaping projects, and the food industries andlocal greenhouse/hydroponics operations are

expanding rapidly. When looking at products andlocations for starting a new company, I knew therewas great potential for a business that could meetthis growing region’s many demands, and perlitewas a perfect choice.

What are your thoughts on the perlite industry?

I find perlite to be totally fascinating. It is such aversatile natural product, and it has globalrelevance at so many different levels. In starting anew entrepreneurialbusiness in Dubai,however, I quicklydiscovered that perlitecould be difficult to sell ifwe didn’t offer finalproducts and solutions tocustomers. At ourcompany, we provide finalsolutions. For example, we actually develop andcertify final products such as blocks, plasters andfloor/roof fills made with perlite. We deliver supplyand apply solutions, acting as subcontractors tovarious complex construction projects.

When we started the company just a few years ago,we had to introduce perlite to the region. We sawmany promising applications here. It took us two tothree years to build our factory, and we are still inthe process of developing market segments. Thesemarket realities have led us to become technicaladvisors in many areas, such as lightweight

Meet Konstantin Mitsiou,Gulf Perlite LLC, Dubai

“Nothing can be better thangetting people from differentareas of the world to worktogether and share their helpglobally, and the PerliteInstitute is the perfect vehiclefor making sure that happensin our industry.”

Member Profile:

Continued on page 4

I find perlite to be totallyfascinating. It is such aversatile natural product,and it has globalrelevance at so manydifferent levels.There are so many

promising areas in theperlite industry, and Ibelieve the PerliteInstitute can lead theway in getting the wordout about theseexpanding markets.

Page 4: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 4

concrete and sustainable landscaping. The futureof perlite in our region as well as globally isincredibly exciting!

Tell us about your membership in the PerliteInstitute and what aspects you have found tobe most valuable?  

Since becoming a member last year, I have foundour membership to be very rewarding. As a newmember to this group, I truly believe therelationships and experiences that I have beenable to cultivate with other members have beenextremely useful in accelerating my understandingof the industry and exploring new options in theperlite marketplace.

The Perlite Institute provides the means forbuilding relationships and establishing trust and

communication channelsacross the industry. Theannual meeting, inparticular, is the perfectplace to meet fellowperlite business ownersand suppliers and to

exchange information and experiences. At themeeting last October in Australia, I felt everyonewas very open, friendly and forthcoming. ThePerlite Institute is such a welcoming community,

and my experience only reinforces that if we’rewilling to work together, rather then be suspiciousand reticent to share with one another, ourmembership can provide valuable interactions.The result is a win-win for everyone.

In looking to the future, what are you hopingthe Perlite Institute will accomplish?

There are so many promising areas in the perliteindustry, and I believe the Perlite Institute can leadthe way in getting the word out about theseexpanding markets. Iwould like to see theInstitute provide moreworking papers ondifferent applications,such as sustainablelandscaping and urbanplanning, fireproofing,etc., as well as additional,more analytical papers on high-value and high-growth areas, such as filter aids and cryogenics.

If we are able to deliver more working papers ofvalue and grow our membership, the PerliteInstitute will become even stronger. Nothing canbe better than getting people from different areasof the world to work together and share their helpglobally, and the Perlite Institute is the perfectvehicle for making sure that happens in ourindustry.

Last fall, Konstantin was in Pennsylvania to check on the status of a furnace being builtat Incon Corporation in Chadds Ford, Pa. While in the area, Konstantin (in hat) and ArtAnderson of Incon met with Perlite Institute staff, including Executive Director DeniseCalabrese (on left) and Communications Director Alison Evans (on right).

Member Profile: Continued from page 3

The future of perlite inour region as well asglobally is incrediblyexciting!

The Perlite Instituteprovides the means forbuilding relationships andestablishing trust andcommunication channelsacross the industry.

Page 5: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 5

The Perlite Institute celebrates its 65th year ofexistence in 2014! I thought it would be fun to lookback on the Institute in its founding year and makesome comparisons from then and now.

In August 1949, the Institute was formed, andincorporation documents signed. That month, thePerlite Institute had 22 members, all of whom were

located in the UnitedStates. Today, the Institutehas 48 members with 25located in the UnitedStates and the remainderfrom all over the world.

The newsletter (then called the Bulletin) was twopages long. A typical Perlite Today issue is 16 pageslong.

In 1949, there was no website for the organization,and technology was limited to a telephone line.Today, the Perlite Institute website consistently hasmore than 2,000 visitors each month.

The first annual meetingof the Institute was heldin Colorado Springs,Colo. There were notours, and the speakerswere limited tocommittee chairs. The2013 annual meetingheld in Sydney,

Australia, featured a plant tourand top-notch speakersaddressing the versatility of perlite and its manyapplications in today’s world.

The Perlite Insitute has come a long way in 65years! Watch for more references to the pastthroughout the year and help us celebrate thevitality and longevity of this wonderfulorganization.

Message from the Executive Directorby Denise R. Calabrese

Celebrating 65 Years—The Perlite Institute: Then and Now

The Perlite Institute hascome a long way in 65years!

Perlite Institute Meetings: “Then” ▲ and “Now” ▼

Is Your Perlite Institute Membership Up-to-Date?Thank you for supporting the Perlite Institutethroughout 2013. Membership dues for 2014 weredue by Dec. 31, 2013. If you have not yet submittedpayment, please do so today.

By renewing your membership, you can takeadvantage of the following member benefits:

• Access to the members’ onlysection of the website,including accessing the information guides

• Company listing on the Perlite Institute website

• Ability to hear top-notch speakers and networkat annual meetings

• The quarterly newsletter, Perlite Today

News from the Perlite Institute

Continued on page 6

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Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 6

Silica Lawsuits, Fracking Regulations and Alternate Energy SourcesCRYSTALLINE SILICA and DUST

A recent study, published in the American Journalof Epidemiology, reports data on more than 34,000workers exposed to respirable crystalline silicaduring the period 1960 to 2003. The data suggestthat over a lifetime of exposure to about 0.1mg/cubic meter of respirable crystalline silica in

the air, about five extracases of lung cancer per1,000 individuals may beexpected. That’s wellabove the “one in amillion standard over alifetime” deemed

acceptable by various U.S. agencies, and evenabove the “one in one thousand” deemedacceptable in the United States for somecarcinogens in drinking water.

So, how would the new proposed silica exposurerules affect the excess risk? Data published by Liu,et al. suggest the following response of silicaexposure and silicosis (personal protective

equipment was generally eithernot available or not used):

The paper is less clear about the risk of lungcancer versus exposure rates, although it is clearthat smoking history is much more significant.

Keep in mind that the data point in the chart above

Why Perlite Rocks A look at news around the globe affectingPerlite manufacturers

by Kenneth Wiener

• Updates on health, environmental andregulatory information

• Use of the Perlite Institute logo and name inyour advertising, website and other materials

If you have any questions concerning yourmembership, please email Angela [email protected] or 717-238-9723. Welook forward to serving you in 2014!

Looking for Perlite Institute Members to ProfilePerlite Today is looking for Perlite Institutemembers to profile in upcoming issues of thenewsletter. By sharing information about you and

in turn getting to know more details about yourfellow members, you will enhance yourexperience in the perlite industry community.

To help you tell us about your company and yourthoughts on membership in the Institute, we havecreated a form that you can fill out and return tous. It couldn’t be any easier for you to take a fewminutes to answer these questions and becomeour latest Member Profile. The form is available atthis link. We hope to hear from you soon! If youhave any questions, contact the editor, Amy, [email protected].

News from the Perlite InstituteContinued from page 5

Savethe

Date

Perlite Institute ANNUAL MEETING

Sept. 7-10, 2014Salt Lake City, Utah

Continued on page 7

Air pollution levels insome developedcountries are decreasingdue to stricterregulations.

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Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 7

(Zero Exposure, Zero Silicosis Cases) actually is areal point, representing more than 10,000 individuals.Hence, dropping the PEL for respirable crystallinesilica from 0.1 mg/cubic meter to 0.05 mg/cubicmeter is likely to drop the maximum incidence ratefrom 5 percent to perhaps 2 percent.

As predicted, implementation of the new rule isnot imminent. The mid-December deadline forcomments has been extended to the end ofJanuary, and U.S. senators are requesting that thecomment period be extended another 90 days. TheU.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration’sactions were tentatively scheduled for December2013 but are not likely to precede action by theOccupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA).

Outside of Washington, D.C., news regarding silicamarches on. Plaintiffs and their attorneys are againfiling silicosis suits in sympathetic counties inMississippi. Once again, medical diagnoses arebeing conducted with nothing more than X-rays asevidence. In fact, one of the radiologists who a fewyears ago testified against such practices is nowserving as a paid consultant for plaintiffs. So far, atleast two trials have taken place with verdicts forthe defense.

Further complicating matters is October’s decisionby the World Health Organization to declare airpollution and particulate matter carcinogens. Lungcancer was the maincancer associated withthese agents, but a higherrisk of bladder cancerwas noted as well. It willbe only a matter of timebefore lawyers getinvolved, althoughseveral hurdles will needto be jumped over. Who do you sue? There are somany sources of and reasons for air pollution:individuals, businesses, governments and nature.Who is supposed to pay? Again, can one assessresponsibility?

Air pollution levels in some developed countriesare decreasing due to stricter regulations. Willlawyers go after cases in these countries simplybecause their legal systems allow them just for themoney? Or will actions be taken to requirepollution controls in less developed countries?After all, air pollution is pretty serious when an

airport and other public facilities get shut down ashappened in Shanghai recently.

And now to South Africa. Although lawsuits againstAnglo-American Gold were thrown out in London,Anglo-American Ashanti (South Africa) continuesas a defendant in South Africa, along with at least30 other mining companies. Settlements werereached (terms not disclosed) in September in thecases of 23 former miners represented byattorneys Leigh Day and Mbuyisa Neale. The pairalso represents about 4,000 more miners. TheLondon lawsuits had been brought on behalf ofabout 17,000 miners, so eventual costs to themining companies are predicted to be substantial(well over $1 billion, according to estimates in thelate 1990s).

Meanwhile, in California, Proposition 65 has beenslightly amended. Small businesses such as storesor parking lots have been given a grace period of14 days after a failure to warn has been detected. Ifthey remedy the requirement to warn the public,they cannot be sued.

GLOBAL WARMING & POLITICS

Another climate change summit has come andgone with no results. Australia’s carbon tax has yetto be repealed, even though the results of a recentelection indicated that the electorate favoredrepeal. The political will to change the status quois not there.

Yes, the Western Climate Initiative is working withsome U.S. states and Canadian provinces, but theproblems and their solutions are, by definition,global.

However, what can industry do to both makemoney and reduce emissions? The paper and pulpindustry is sponsoring innovation. Research hasshown that the use of massive amounts of water(which then have to be dried off) is not necessary.Deep eutectic solvents(often ionic liquids) havedemonstrated their abilityto dissolve unwantedlignins and other woodchemicals, leaving thecellulose to make paper.These chemicals maythen be recovered andsold. Technology can have the power tosignificantly change what politics cannot, not just

Continued on page 8

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 6

Further complicatingmatters is October’sdecision by the WorldHealth Organization todeclare air pollution andparticulate mattercarcinogens.

Removing the resourcewaste is another sourceof profit and footprintreduction, one that maynot require intensivecapital investment.

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Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 8

via efficiency improvements but sometimes via acomplete change in the way things are done. Thedownside to total innovation is that sometimescurrent equipment cannot be used withoutextensive, expensive modification. Outsidefinancial help and legislation are ways to spurchange in those cases.

Another consideration related to carbon and itsfootprint is the water footprint of a process. Irecently visited a local brewery that usesconsiderably less water per unit volume of beerthan average. Rinses of equipment are done thereto the point that the electrical conductivity of theflush water is below a certain level. Apparently,standard industry procedures dictate that rinsingshall take place for some number of minutes,rather than until the parts are clean. Waste is builtinto their process. Removing the resource waste isanother source of profit and footprint reduction,one that may not require intensive capitalinvestment.

EU LAWS: REACh, CLP

The EU-funded ExPerl project final report is stillnot available. However, mathematical analysis ofperlite expansion, via an alternate furnace design,can be viewed on the Internet at this link. Thedescription of the process in the paper matches a1989 U.S. patent (expired) and reports of ChineseCSP technology.

Another EU-funded investigation is led by ImerysMinerals regarding perlite, diatomite and clays (allinvolving drying, or calcining). The project(www.stoicism.eu) began in 2013 and is scheduled torun through 2016. Goals involve improving efficiencyof energy use, improving the value to users anddetermining ways to repurpose used mineralproducts. IMA-Europe is a partner in this project.

MINE SAFETY

Fracking regulation has been proposed inCalifornia. To read more, visit www.conservation.ca.gov/Index/Pages/Index.aspx and click on thelink for the text of the regulations. Disclosure of allchemicals used and their amounts, information onthe geological formation being fracked, and thesource and disposition of all fluids used are amongthe reportable items beforehand during thepermitting process and afterward as publicinformation. Also reportable is whether an

earthquake 2.0 or stronger occurred during theperiod of the “well stimulation treatment.”

Coal mining is a favorite target of the Mining Safetyand Health Administration (MSHA), the U.S.agency charged with overseeing safety in minesand facilities ruled to be mines. According to theNational Institute forOccupational Safety andHealth’s Centers forDisease Control andPrevention, more than10,000 fatalities wereattributed to black lungdisease during the period1996 to 2005. Miningaccidents claimed lessthan 10 percent of that number during the sametime. Addressing the bigger problem, MSHA wasexpected to propose new rules on ventilation andhence exposure to coal dust for comment lastmonth.

COMPETITION

People are always targeting perlite as theexpensive stuff in horticultural mixes. Twomasters’ theses have recently come out claimingthat perlite can be replaced: one with biochar, andone with pinewood chips. These graduate studentsdid their analyses and grew their test plants butwithout consideration for other factors, such aswater consumption, that are important in the realworld. To paraphrase what I have been told severaltimes, one can grow plants in almost any mediumif one knows what one is doing. In fact, grass isgrowing in my street about four weeks after a newlayer of asphalt was laid on top of the old one.

I knew about biochar as a soil amendment. It isessentially similar to activated carbon, with theability to stimulate plant growth. I had not thoughtof it as a perlite replacement, although currentcosts may be $100 to $200 per ton. In fact, recentresearch identified wood biochar as a promisingmaterial to be a supercapacitor for use as energystorage in low-power devices, such as PC cards,photographic flashes, flashlights or portable mediaplayers. Apparently, biochar is extremely porous,so it has a high surface area for electron transfer.

Pinewood chips, on the other hand, I believe hascomponents that could be toxic to some plants.The new research shows that loblolly pinewood,

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 7

Continued on page 9

More than 10,000fatalities were attributedto black lung diseaseduring the period 1996to 2005, and miningaccidents claimed lessthan 10 percent of thatnumber.

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Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 9

hammer milled and screened through a roughly ¼-inch screen, was benign to chrysanthemums andmarigolds and did not degrade during the two-yearstudy.

THE ECONOMY

This section this quarter is about alternate energysources and effects. Coal mines owned by ConsolEnergy in Pennsylvania and West Virginia aregearing up to license Verdeo Sindicatum USA todestroy methane emissions vented from the mines(and hopefully create electricity). All that isneeded is for the California Air Resources Board togive the go-ahead to allow carbon credits for thedestroyed methane, which could then be sold byVerdeo to California companies needing themunder California’s cap and trade rules.

The other story involves more traditionalalternative energy. For years, homeowners andbusinesses with solar panels or wind turbineshave been allowed to put excess energy back into“the grid.” Now, it turns out that “the grid” may notbe capable of handling much more such energy.

Solar panels don’tgenerate electricity 24/7,and winds are not steady,either. California hasmandated utilities tocreate enough electricalstorage to power 1 millionhomes by 2024, but withat least 16 million

inhabitants in the state, that is not a total solution.The whole system is so complicated that it istaking a computer making quadrillion calculationsper second to manage the national grid. And, that’swithout factoring in human failures.

GREEN BUILDINGS

LEED v4 was released in November 2013. Buildershave until 2015 to choose between the new versionand LEED 2009. A press release on the regulationsreveals the following new requirements in LEED v4:

• Application to new market sectors, such as datacenters, warehouses and distribution centers,hospitality, existing schools, existing retail andmid-rise residential projects.

• Simplified LEED credit submittal requirements,descriptive step-by-step reference guidematerials with videos and tutorials and a more

intuitive technology platform.

• A focus on outcomes so that building ownershave a better understanding of how to managetheir buildings to meet full performance potential.

• New impact categories targeting climate change,human health, water resources, biodiversity,green economy, community and naturalresources.

In addition, the concept of “cradle to grave” is nowout. In its place is the term “cradle to cradle.” Usedmaterials are expected to be given new life aftertheir intended application is over. Also,controversy was avoided by paying very littleattention in the rollout to the question of whichplastics perform better or which lumbersustainability certification was better. Now it is upto the marketplace to determine whether LEEDprojects continue to be viewed as cutting edge.

BIOFUELS & OTHER SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

Cellulosic ethanol is coming to the United States.The parent company is based in Italy and has afacility there. The U.S. plant is scheduled toproduce 20 million gallons of ethanol per yearwithout using food crops as a source of material.

However, total U.S. production of ethanol isbetween 15 and 20 billion gallons annually. Rightnow, cellulosic ethanol represents about 5 to 10percent of the total. While it looks like that fractionmay rise, reducing reliance on food crops foralternative fuel production, total ethanolproduction has a de facto cap based on how muchE85 gasoline is needed.

In the United Kingdom, Argent Energy, amongother companies, is supplementing used frying oilwith fat and grease from sewers and sewage forconversion into biodiesel.If left unchecked, fattybuildup in sewers canresult in blocked sewersand sewage backup. Thisis actually not asuncommon as one mightthink. There’s even aname for such balls of fatin sewers: fatberg (thinkiceberg).

Last August, workers in London removed a 15-tonfatberg the size of a school bus that had grown to

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 8

Continued on page 10

The whole system is socomplicated that it istaking a computermaking quadrillioncalculations per secondto manage thenational grid.

Cellulosic ethanol iscoming to the UnitedStates. The U.S. plant isscheduled to produce 20million gallons ofethanol per year withoutusing food crops as asource of material.

Page 10: Perlite 2014 winter final

block 95 percent of the diameter of the sewer lineit was in. Thames Water claims it is called on toremove 40,000 sewer blockages related tocombinations of fat and sanitary wipes each year.The estimated 32 to 44 million liters of usedcooking oil disposed of in just London are said tobe capable of totally fueling 20 percent of London’sbuses with biodiesel.

OTHER REGULATORY ISSUES

All sides (environmentalists, industry and evenpoliticians) seem to agree that the 1970s-era ToxicSubstances Control Act (TSCA) is outdated andneeds to be reworked. The question now is if allsides can agree on whether to give up enough sothat the perfect does not become the enemy of the

good. Few details are available at this time, but Iwill continue to monitor progress on theLautenberg-Vitter bill.

It’s not there at this time, but current decisions onwhat to do with mining products, such as fracsand, and byproducts, such as coal ash andoverburden, could one day be applied to open-pitmines such as perlite. Admittedly, MSHA’s timewould be better spent going after huge open-pitmines, such as those found in the copper or boraxindustries, but perlite miners could be affectedeventually as population growth brings peoplecloser to the mines. Another reason to watch thisspace!

Until next time, happy expanding! Contact me [email protected] if you have anyquestions.

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 10

The Perlite Papers Innovative Uses of Perlite Explored

by Kenneth Wiener

Perlite Uses in Clayey Soil, Setting Concrete and Absorption

This issue of the Perlite Papers does not have atheme. The perlite used in the studies examined inthe following four articles is expanded orunexpanded, a primary additive or a minoringredient, and the research wasn’t necessarilyperformed or published last quarter.

Clayey Soil1

This article deals with the use of unexpandedperlite (I think) to mix with soils that will notsupport structures or even pavement. These clayeysoils tend to expand when wet and shrink whendry. That’s not a good thing when one wants tobuild on top. The authors took perlite with a

maximum particle size of5 mm (with 91 percentretained on 325 mesh - 44microns) and usedselected clayey soil tomake mixes with 10, 20,

30, 40 and 50 percent perlite. Some improvementwas noted in mixes with just soil and perlite.However, when 8 percent lime was added to themix, anything above 30 percent perlite stabilizedthe soil to the point suitable for construction.

Interestingly, part of the research involved wettingand drying the researchers’ mixes. The sampleswith just soil and perlite disintegrated within 14days in water. The authors did not note anythingabout the agricultural implications, but this tellsme that even raw perlite has the ability to modifyclay soils to enhance plant growth. The authorsgraphed the cohesion of their soil mixes versusperlite content, and, as I would expect, the moreperlite, the less cohesion.

Heat of Hydration of Setting Concrete2

In this second article, the authors discuss the heatof hydration of setting concrete. Personally, I didnot know what to expect, and my experience tellsme something opposite to what was found. Myexperience with thermosetting resins is that thelighter the mix, the less mass is available to absorbheat generated during cure, and hence the peaktemperature goes up.

However, the authors found a lower exotherm.Perhaps in concrete, the additional water requiredfor wetting out expanded perlite absorbs some of

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 9

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This tells me that evenraw perlite has the abilityto modify clay soils toenhance plant growth.

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Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 11

the heat. Additionally, the researchers did not findmuch of a delay in the time required to get to peakexotherm when adding perlite. They did, however,find that the water thickener they tested,hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose ether, did delaythe peak considerably. However, they only tested amaximum of 5 percent by weight perlite (the restbeing cement). That’s somewhere around 1:1 byvolume for perlite expanded to about 5 pounds percubic foot (80 kg/cubic meter). Any data for morenormal ratios of perlite and cement that membershave would be appreciated.

Absorbing Oil3 and Radioactive Waste4

A third interesting paper discusses the properties ofexpanded perlite modified with stearic acid. TheChinese researchers foundthat putting 2 percentstearic acid onto theperlite turned the perliteinto an excellent materialfor absorption of oil.Whereas untreated perliteabsorbs more water thanoil, the new product absorbs oil almost selectively,and a lot of oil to boot. For years, asphalt modified

perlite has been used as an oil absorbent, but thisbrings a new formulation for use.

Reliable and safe ways to absorb and dispose ofradioactive waste are always welcome. The fourtharticle gives information on how perlite, againsurface modified, is useful in that regard.

I continue to look forward to reading about andreporting on innovative thinking out there in boththe literature and the real world.

References:1 U. Calik, E. Sadoglu, “Classification, shear

strength, and durability of expansive clayey soilstabilized with lime and perlite,” NaturalHazards, November 2013.

2 L. Su, B. Ma, S. Jian, Z. Zhao, M. Liu, “HydrationHeat Effect of Cement Pastes Modified withHydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose Ether andExpanded Perlite,” Journal of Wuhan Universityof Technology, Volume 28 (1), pages 122-126.

3 P. Qi, N. Lin, Y. Liu, J. Zhao, “Improvement ofOil/Water Selectivity by Stearic Acid ModifiedExpanded Perlite for Oil Spill Cleanup,” Journalof Shanghai Jiaotong University (Sci.), 2013, 18(4), pages 500-507.

4 Recep Akkaya, “Effects of pH, concentration andtemperature on radionuclides sorption ontopolyhydroxyethyl methacrylate-expanded perlitecomposite,” Journal of Radioanalytical andNuclear Chemistry, 2013, 295, pages 351-355.

The Perlite Papers Continued from page 10

Putting 2 percent stearicacid onto the perliteturned the perlite into anexcellent material forabsorption of oil.

Do you have

information to share

with the members of

the Perlite Institute?

Do you want to write

an article for the

newsletter?

Contact the Editor

Submissions should be sent to the

editor [email protected].

Good Product Photos NeededThe Communications Committee is seekingphotos for brochures to be updated or revised.Photos related to the following topics areneeded:

• Horticultural—numerous

• Adsorption

Send your photos to [email protected].

During the month ofDecember, the PerliteInstitute website had2,048 visits and4,972 page views. Ofthe visits, nearly 72percent were new.

Page 12: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 12

Patents: Two Thumbs Up for Perliteby Kenneth Wiener

Carbon Reduction and Sparkle on Mica The list of patents involving perlite this time is fairly short. Even so,there is one that takes innovation not just to the next level, butseveral levels away from plausibility. Lambert’s ’107 patent usesthe buoyancy and white color of perlite to great advantage.However, I can’t begin to calculate the investment and permissionsneeded to create and deploy enough buoys to cover several millionsquare kilometers of ocean. I realize that he is proposing to placethe buoys within the Great Pacific Garbage Gyre, among otherareas, a part of the Pacific Ocean largely uncrossed by ships, buteven if the funding was to be forthcoming, I can’t imagine whowould allow this.

The scheme involves making a glassy combination of mineral saltsand aquatic nutrients that will float, slowly releasing nutrients intothe ocean and spurring the growth of diatoms, algae and othermicroorganisms. Even if those microorganisms do not attract fishand other animals that eat them, the existence of themicroorganisms will remove a large amount of carbon dioxide fromthe atmosphere. Additionally, the buoys themselves, being white incolor, will reflect more light than the blue ocean, creating a coolingeffect.

Geoengineering is technically plausible, but I don’t see profitcoming out of it. The carbon removed from the atmosphere iseffectively sequestered if it sinks below a level that guarantees thatit will not escape within 100 years. The patent attempts to assurethat requirement.

The Jones ’818 patent is exciting to me. Why? Because perlite, evenflake (milled expanded) perlite, has a three-dimensional structure,and, in this application, BASF has found a way to mimic the sparklecreated on mica, a mineral with a flat structure. I have alwaysassociated perlite with a flat, dull white appearance, and now theyhave shown the way to make perlite bright and sparkly, truly apearlescent pigment.

Even if none of the listed patents generate any sales for PerliteInstitute members, they keep pushing the boundaries of perlitethinking, production and applications. Thanks for continuing thisjourney with me.

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Please help us make Perlite Today the most relevantand useful it can be for you, our members. Email yourideas and any leads you may have for future articlesto the editor, Amy, at [email protected] hope to hear from you soon with your suggestions.

Help Us Make Your Newsletter Even More Useful

Page 13: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 13

Industry NewsImerys Offers Mobile Perlite Expansionand Insulation ServicesImerys Perlite USA, Inc., will increase its North

American presence in mobile perlite evacuation,

expansion and installation services for cryogenic

insulation. Imerys recently purchased mobile

perlite expanders and related services from J.C.

Hall Company, Inc. With this purchase, Imerys will

be able to offer on-site services for mobile perlite

evacuation, expansion and installation for

cryogenic insulation.

Imerys will use the new mobile services, along

with its existing perlite ore mines and fixed

expansion plants in North America, to offer full-

service cryogenic insulation solutions.

Liquefied gases having boiling points as low as -

452°F (-269°C) have created a demand for storage

facilities capable of economically reducing

evaporation losses.

Perlite, widely used for insulation because of its

low thermal conductivity, cost, ease of handling,

nonflammability and low moisture retention,

performs well in insulating cryogenic and low-

temperature storage tanks, air separation units,

cold boxes, nitrogen, oxygen, argon and LNG

storage facilities, and in food processing.

Source: www.insulation.imerys.com

Internal Curing Adds Years to Life of Concrete, Study FindsA recently released study validates the value of

internally cured concrete for pavements.

Evaluation of Internally Cured Concrete for PavingApplications, by Chetana Rao, Ph.D. and Michael I.

Darter Ph.D., P.E., shows that internal curing can

add years to the life of the pavement or achieves

equivalent performance while reducing thickness.

Both advantages represent cost savings. These

performance benefits were shown using internally

cured concrete according to AASHTO ME design

procedures and that they are purely structural.

The authors go on to say that internally cured

concrete offers the potential for improved

hydration, reduced chloride ingress, reduced

cracking, improved durability, reduced

maintenance and extended service life. Click here

to read the full report.

Source: ESCSI Lightweight Design eNews,November 2013

Passing of William A. Strong Sr.William A. Strong Sr., 89, an industry leader and

innovator, passed away last October at his Pine

Bluff, Ark., home. He was the founder and

chairman of the board of Strong Company, Inc.

During his lifetime, he started 13 companies and

manufacturing plants in Arkansas, Illinois, South

Carolina and Texas that mined vermiculite ore,

processed and blended unique materials such as

vermiculite and perlite for construction, industrial

and horticultural applications, and manufactured

specially designed mixers, pumps and other

equipment for the installation of these and other

products.

In 1989, Strong developed a system for the

rehabilitation of manholes and other sanitary

sewer structures that revolutionized the industry.

During his career, he was awarded 10 patents and

was considered an industry leader and innovator

in every market where Strong products were sold.

To read his complete obituary, click here.

http://www.perlite.org

www.perlite.org

The office will be closed for business Jan. 30 through Feb. 4. The phone, fax and emails will all remain the same.

The new address will be2207 Forest Hills Drive,

Harrisburg, PA 17112, USA. Please make a note of this change!

moving!

The Perlite Instituteoffice is

Page 14: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 14

Technical Q&As Q: Where can I find a formula to makelightweight cement/mortar mix to fill in roofponding areas with some foot traffic and thencover it with a waterproof coating?

A: For an area that is going to see some foot

traffic, it would be advisable to go with a mix that

has a higher compressive strength than the levels

used in most roof deck-type applications. A mix

with a 3:1 ratio should be quite adequate.

Information on transit mix is available at

www.perlite.org/library-perlite-info/

construction-perlite/Lightweight-Fiber-

Reinforced_Perlite-Cement-Plasters.pdf.

Q: Is the following composition correct formaking lightweight concrete from perlite:cement, sand, expanded perlite/coarse perlite,water, additive, coal ash?

A: A brochure on lightweight perlite cements —

the mixes and corresponding structural strengths

— is available at www.perlite.org/library-perlite-

info/construction-perlite/Perlite-Concrete.pdf. In

addition, information on lightweight concrete used

for roof decks can be found at

www.perlite.org/library-perlite-info/

construction-perlite/Perlite-Insulating-Concrete

_Roofdeck.pdf. Without knowing your desired

application, the Perlite Institute would recommend

both these publications as a good place to start.

Q: May perlite be used in cleaning an oil well? Ifyes, what size perlite should be used?

A: Expanded perlite if often used as an absorbent.

A normal-sized construction-grade ore (0.074 - 0.6

mm typical range available) is expanded to ~ 80 -

128 g/l density for this application.

Q: I am a homeowner in southern Californiaand want to build a fireproof vault to storevaluables in the event we are evacuated due toa wildfire. The vault will be a 7- by 7-foot cinderblock structure partly buried into the side of ahill with a reinforced concrete roof. I have readabout the insulating properties of perlite andbought bags of plaster grade for use as block fillon the exposed walls of the vault and as roofinsulation. What is the recommended mix ratio

for the aggregate for block fill with rebar?  

A: For block fill with rebar, use a perlite aggregate

mixture. In fills without rebar, you can simply pour

in perlite alone. The PDF file Concrete Mix

Designs provides ratios of cement/perlite mixes as

1:4 to 1:8 and cement/perlite/sand mixes as

approximately 1:3:2. The required perlite/cement

mix would be dependent on your local building

code requirements as to the structural strength

requirements. This product guide provides the

information as to what each mix ratio can provide,

and the mix ratio would depend on local design

specifications. A perlite cement cap should not

impair the structural strength of the roof since the

initial 3 inches would be the defining element.

Q: I am planning to construct a 3-inch-thickconcrete roof (a normal mix of 1 part cement to 4 parts 50/50 sand-gravel), reinforced with½-inch rebar every 8 inches in each direction,over which I would pour another 2 inches ofperlite concrete mixture. I would prefer to doone pour of 4 to 5 inches of perlite concretemix. Would this impair the structural strength ofthe roof? I also plan to stucco the exterior of theexposed block with fire clay. May perlite bemixed in and at what ratio?

A: A single-pour roof over corrugated metal is

normal in many areas and has both strength and

great UL ratings ~ 4 hour. This link provides more

information on such approaches: www.perlite.org

/library-perlite-info/construction-perlite/Perlite-

Insulating-Concrete_Roofdeck.pdf. As for the

stucco, a number of different plaster-reinforced

mixes can enhance the fire rating. Learn more at

www.perlite.org/library-perlite-info/

construction-perlite/Lightweight-Fiber-

Reinforced_Perlite-Cement-Plasters.pdf

Want to see more? Have your own question forChuck Vogelsang, the Perlite Institute’s technicalspokesperson? Visit the Perlite Institute Facebookpage at http://tinyurl.com/Perlite-Institute-Facebook or the LinkedIn Group athttp://tinyurl.com/Perlite-Institute-LinkedIn oremail [email protected].

Page 15: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 15

Opening ClosingDate Date Name of Show Location Website

2/4/2014 2/6/2014 National Assoc. of Home Builders Las Vegas, Nev. www.buildersshow.com/Home/Las Vegas Convention Center

2/6/2014 2/8/2014 National Concrete Masonry Assoc. Palm Springs, Calif. www.ncma.org/events/Pages/ICONXChange.aspxWestin Mission Hills Resort

2/13/2014 2/15/2014 National Precast Concrete Assoc. Houston, Texas, Hilton Americas http://precast.org/theprecastshow/

3/4/2014 3/6/2014 NESEA Building Energy Conference Boston, Mass. http://www.nesea.org/ai1ec_event/buildingenergySeaport World Trade Center -14/?instance_id=353

3/18/2014 3/19/2014 Green Cities - Australia Melbourne, Australia www.greencities.org.auGrand Hyatt Melbourne

3/19/2014 3/23/2014 San Francisco Flower & San Mateo, Calif. www.sfgardenshow.comGarden Show San Mateo Event Center

5/16/2014 5/18/2014 Roof India Chennai, India, Chennai Trade Centre http://roofindia.com/

6/8/2014 6/11/2014 Western Roofing Expo 2014 Las Vegas, Nev. www.wsrca.com/Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

7/30/2014 7/31/2014 Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Philadelphia, Pa. www.pantshow.com/Pennsylvania Convention Center

8/14/2014 8/16/2014 Nursery & Landscape Expo San Antonio, Texas www.nurserylandscapeexpo.org/Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

8/19/2014 8/21/2014 Independent Garden Center Show Chicago, Ill. www.igcshow.com/chicago2014/public/enter.aspxNavy Pier

8/21/2014 8/23/2014 Farwest Show Portland, Ore. www.farwestshow.com/Oregon Convention Center

8/27/2014 8/30/2014 Plantarium Boskoop, NL www.plantarium.nl/Page/nctrue/ml2/index.htmlInternational Trade Centre

9/25/2014 9/26/2014 ONLA Annual Conv. & Trade Show Tulsa, Okla. www.oknla.org/custom/showpage.php?id=101&toplevel=62Cox Business Center

9/25/2014 9/27/2014 Landscape Show Orlando, Fla. www.fngla.org/thelandscapeshow/Orange County Convention Center

11/12/2014 11/15/2014 Green Roof & Wall Conference Nashville, Tenn. www.citiesalive.org/Cities Alive Omni Hotel and Resort

2/24/2015 2/26/2015 Filtech Cologne, Germany www.filtech.de/Koelnmesse

3/17/2015 3/19/2015 World of Asphalt/Aggregates Forum Baltimore, Md. www.worldofasphalt.com/about/(Biennial — 2015) Baltimore Convention Center

Selected Upcoming Trade Shows and Meetings

Page 16: Perlite 2014 winter final

Perlite Today—WINTER 2014 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 16

New Product Guide

To view this product guide andmany more, go to the

Perlite Information Library.