Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Other

Colin S Cundy

Denis G Ballard

Graham R Rideal

David C Morley

Vermiculite ore is contacted with an aqueous solution with at least one salt of sodium, lithium or an organosubstituted ammonium cation followed by aqueous washing so that the ore swells. The swollen vermiculite in aqueous suspension is subjected to a shearing action until a suspension containing vermiculite particles having dimensions less than 50 microns is produced with elimination from the suspension of all particles having a diameter larger than 50 microns. Water can then be removed from the suspension.

Production of articles from minerals

A process for the stabilization against water of a vermiculite article and the resultant product. The process consists essentially of contacting the article with the vapor of a nitrogen compound having the formula: ##STR1## where R1, R2 and R3 which may be the same or different are either hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups containing up to seven carbon atoms, provided that where R2 and R3 are both hydrogen atoms, R1 is an alkyl group containing less than three or more than six carbon atoms.

Mineral products

A rigid cellular foam of Vermiculite lamellae made by drying the frothy mass formed when an aqueous suspension is gasified.

Growing community of inventors

Runcorn, United Kingdom

Colin S Cundy