Industrial Minerals : Prospects for the Coming Decade

In this paper we are going to look at some things that may happen to the industrial minerals industry in the next decade. First, some concepts and definitions. What are industrial minerals? Not everyone agrees on an answer to this. So let's look at some of the opinions. Some say that industrial minerals are non-metallic minerals. As you well know, metallic minerals are used as a source material for metals. Copper, lead, and zinc are extracted from metallic minerals. But, some metallic minerals are also used for other reasons. Bauxite is used as a source of alumina and aluminum. It is also used as proppant in well drilling, as an abrasive, as a refractory material, and as a source of aluminum-based chemicals. So bauxite is both metallic and nonmetallic. There are other examples, too. Bastnasite is a source of rare earth metals and alloys but its concentrate is used in fluid cracking catalysts. Phosphate rock is an industrial mineral when used for fertilizer, but it is also the source of phosphorus. Ilmenite and rutile are sources for titanium dioxide pigments as well as titanium. So the nonmetallic designation is not adequate to define industrial minerals. Some say industrial minerals are called such because they are consumed in industry. How about your cat's litter box? Is that industry? Huge amounts of montmorillonite, attapulgite and other sorbtive minerals are pelletized and calcined to make animal litter. Doctors are trying to get people to cut down on their salt consumption. They are against people eating industrial minerals. When diamonds are a girl's best friend, they are not industrial minerals; when they are grinding and polishing media, they are. These examples show that industrial minerals are not exclusive to industry. Regardless, here is my list of industrial minerals: Abrasive Materials - Bentonite Antimony (Oxide) - Borates Asbestos - Calcium Carbonate Attapulgite - Diatomite Ball Clay - Dolomite Barite - Feldspar Bauxite (and Alumina) - Fire Clay Fluorspar - Pyrophyllite Fuller's Earth - Rare Earths Graphite - Salt Gypsum - Sand and Gravel Kaolin - Silica Sand Kyanite - Soda Ash Limestone - Sodium Sulfate Magnesite - Spodumene (Lithium) Magnetite - Sulfur Mica - Talc Nepheline Syenite - Titanium Dioxide Perlite - Vermiculite Phosphates - Wollastonite Potash - Zeolites Pumice There is some overlapping. Fuller's Earth takes in some attapulgite, bentonite, and other minerals, depending on the market. Some would like to distinguish industrial minerals by the market emphasis they receive compared to fuels, metallics, and precious metals. But even there, strict logic fails. Some industrial minerals are commodities. They are sold on a price basis against industry product specs, usually in large volumes. Phosphate rock, potash, sulfur, salt, soda ash, and other materials fit this category. Some are almost custom-designed for end-use and meet performance specs. These are sometimes called functional or specialty industrial minerals. Examples of these are ground calcium carbonate, water-washed kaolin, cosmetic grade talc, filtration grades of diatomite, perlite, and vermiculite. To determine prospects for the decade ahead, regardless of our