Companies in the refractory, friction/gasket material, paint and coating, rubber, plastic compound, and pesticide industries have realized production cost efficiencies through the use of Narvon clay. The clay mineral filler’s fine particle size, grayish-white to light tan color, and relatively good absorbency make it a reasonably-priced filler, binder, carrier, diluent, extender, coagulant/flocculent aid, or anti-caking component in finished products and useful as a coating baked onto bricks or a release agent for steel manufacturing molds. Narvon clay has also been used for water purification, and as a filler in animal feedstock, flooring, and pesticides.
The material found at the Narvon mine is textually classified as clay. Due to the natural weathering process, Narvon clay’s in-ground color can vary from grayish-white to light tan. X-ray analysis indicates that this saprolite’s mineral assemblage most frequently includes quartz, kaolin, mica, and microline feldspar.
A key factor in the successful use of Narvon clay is that its chemical composition is relatively consistent throughout the deposit. The primary chemical components of Narvon clay are SiO2 (approximately 67%) and Al2O3 (approximately 19%). Other compounds commonly found in Narvon clay include trace amounts of K2O, Fe2O3, TiO2, MgO, Na2O, and CaO. Important physical properties include a loss on ignition of <6%, a specific gravity of 2.6, a moisture content of <0.5%, a pH of 5, and a very low plasticity.
After processing, Narvon clay can be described as a tan, finely divided, free-flowing, inert aluminum silicate material. This material is then dried in a rotary kiln, bringing the moisture content down to less than 0.5%. This creates a powder-like material which resembles flour. The material is then air classified to result in products having particle sizes ranging from 100% of the material passing through a 20 sieve screen to greater than 95% of the material passing through a 325 sieve screen. The finished product is then bagged and palletized for delivery or stored in silos prior to being bulk loaded for delivery in pneumatic tank trucks.
To learn more or to request a product sample, contact Tony Paolino at (717) 354-1303 or (717) 617-8247.