Richard Aerni on tue 27 jan 98
Tom,
I've just been on the phone with Larry Culp, rutile purchasing agent for
TAM Ceramics Inc, in Niagara Falls, NY, my major supplier of rutile
products. I relayed your comments/experiences with rutile and ilmenite,
and here is a brief synopsis of what he had to say.
First off, they do not sell ilmenite, but as ilmenite is often found in
conjunction rutile deposits, I would assume that what he said about
rutile also applies to ilmenite.
He stated that there is not a shortage, and no reason to expect a
shortage, of titania minerals in the future. He did allow that the
pigment industry is running full speed ahead right now, and that there
was some dislocation of the rutile supply several years ago with the
unrest in Sierra Leone disrupting that supply, but that neither of those
were a factor in the supply right now. In fact, he stated that RGC
Minerals is preparing to open a new mine in Virginia in the near future,
and that should dramatically increase the supply. In conjunction with
the economic problems in Southeast Asia, he expects this will push prices
down in the titania/mineral sands industries in the future.
As for their products, they do mill their rutile so that 99.5% of it
passes through a 325 mesh screen. They sell titania, milled ceramic
grade rutile (product #54429), and dark rutile (ruflux 61, product
#54430) which is the uncalcined rutile. If you wish to order from them,
you can reach them at: TAM Ceramics Inc., Box C, Bridge Station, Niagara
Falls, NY, 14305, Tel. 716-278-9400. They are a company that supplies
ceramic supply companies, and have close contacts and interests with the
major Australian and South African mineral sands companies, as well as
the Florida mineral sands industry.
Now, on to ilmenite. While rutile is defined as an impure oxide of
titania, containing from 1-15% iron oxide, ilmenite is FeTiO3, an ore of
both titania and iron. Samples I have seen in my mineralogical texts can
contain up to 40% iron, though Hamer states that the cutoff point is 30%
iron. Ilmenite is also found in nature with Magnesium and Manganese
substituting for some of the iron, although the Magnesium sub is by far
the most common (Elements of Mineralogy, Mason and Berry). Ilmenite is
found in close association with gabbros, diorites and anorthosite rocks
as veins, disseminated deposits, or large masses. This means it can be
mined by itself, as it is done in Quebec, in Norway, in the Adirondacks
of New York state, as well as in Roseville, Virginia, where it is found
in conjunction with rutile, apatite and syenite. I assume this means
that the new Virginia mine will also produce ilmenite.
Large quantities of ilmenite are also found in Australia as part of the
beach sands depositions, which are now a primary source of rutile and
titanium. Having a far higher concentration of iron in it, I would
assume it would be deposited in a discrete layer.
At any rate, I would assume that since there is no shortage of rutile,
there would be no shortage of ilmenite, since rutile would be relatively
more desirable to the pigment industry because of its higher purity. My
advice to you would be to go to the ceramic data book, or else to the
internet, and do a search to find out who is supplying your suppliers,
and then contact them directly for information and samples.
I know how frustrating this can be, and you certainly have my sympathy.
Hope this helps,
Richard Aerni
Bloomfield, NY
Tom Wirt wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> We recently went to order a new bag of powdered illmenite from
> Continental Clay in Mpls. only to be told that it would no longer be
> available. Since it's the key colorant in our rutile blue which is about
> 50% of sales, we had a moment of panic, and then got on the phone.
> Here's what we heard....wondering if anyone else has been hearing any of
> this.
>
> Rutile and illmenite come mostly from Dupont. The supply is drying up
> because of the demand for Titanium taken from the rawer ores. Also,
> there seem to be 2 grades of powdered illmenite, 200 and 325 mesh. We
> got some from Great Lakes Clay (200 mesh where we'd been using 325). We
> found a couple of others who still had 325 and a couple who hadn't heard
> of any problem.
>
> The 200 mesh greatly changed the glaze, moving from a nice clear speckled
> blue to a rutile blue-green, muddier look. Continental has since come
> into some 325 mesh which we're about to test, along with a sample from
> Mile-hi in Denver.
>
> Will post the results. Dick Aerni, could this mesh issue have been part
> of the problems you were having some time ago with the rutile?
>
> Tom Wirt
> Claypot@hutchtel.net
> Clay Coyote Pottery
> Hutchinson, MN
Richard Aerni on tue 16 sep 03
and yet another...
Tom,
I've just been on the phone with Larry Culp, rutile purchasing agent for
TAM Ceramics Inc, in Niagara Falls, NY, my major supplier of rutile
products. I relayed your comments/experiences with rutile and ilmenite,
and here is a brief synopsis of what he had to say.
First off, they do not sell ilmenite, but as ilmenite is often found in
conjunction rutile deposits, I would assume that what he said about
rutile also applies to ilmenite.
He stated that there is not a shortage, and no reason to expect a
shortage, of titania minerals in the future. He did allow that the
pigment industry is running full speed ahead right now, and that there
was some dislocation of the rutile supply several years ago with the
unrest in Sierra Leone disrupting that supply, but that neither of those
were a factor in the supply right now. In fact, he stated that RGC
Minerals is preparing to open a new mine in Virginia in the near future,
and that should dramatically increase the supply. In conjunction with
the economic problems in Southeast Asia, he expects this will push prices
down in the titania/mineral sands industries in the future.
As for their products, they do mill their rutile so that 99.5% of it
passes through a 325 mesh screen. They sell titania, milled ceramic
grade rutile (product #54429), and dark rutile (ruflux 61, product
#54430) which is the uncalcined rutile. If you wish to order from them,
you can reach them at: TAM Ceramics Inc., Box C, Bridge Station, Niagara
Falls, NY, 14305, Tel. 716-278-9400. They are a company that supplies
ceramic supply companies, and have close contacts and interests with the
major Australian and South African mineral sands companies, as well as
the Florida mineral sands industry.
Now, on to ilmenite. While rutile is defined as an impure oxide of
titania, containing from 1-15% iron oxide, ilmenite is FeTiO3, an ore of
both titania and iron. Samples I have seen in my mineralogical texts can
contain up to 40% iron, though Hamer states that the cutoff point is 30%
iron. Ilmenite is also found in nature with Magnesium and Manganese
substituting for some of the iron, although the Magnesium sub is by far
the most common (Elements of Mineralogy, Mason and Berry). Ilmenite is
found in close association with gabbros, diorites and anorthosite rocks
as veins, disseminated deposits, or large masses. This means it can be
mined by itself, as it is done in Quebec, in Norway, in the Adirondacks
of New York state, as well as in Roseville, Virginia, where it is found
in conjunction with rutile, apatite and syenite. I assume this means
that the new Virginia mine will also produce ilmenite.
Large quantities of ilmenite are also found in Australia as part of the
beach sands depositions, which are now a primary source of rutile and
titanium. Having a far higher concentration of iron in it, I would
assume it would be deposited in a discrete layer.
At any rate, I would assume that since there is no shortage of rutile,
there would be no shortage of ilmenite, since rutile would be relatively
more desirable to the pigment industry because of its higher purity. My
advice to you would be to go to the ceramic data book, or else to the
internet, and do a search to find out who is supplying your suppliers,
and then contact them directly for information and samples.
I know how frustrating this can be, and you certainly have my sympathy.
Hope this helps,
Richard Aerni
Bloomfield, NY
Tom Wirt wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> We recently went to order a new bag of powdered illmenite from
> Continental Clay in Mpls. only to be told that it would no longer be
> available. Since it's the key colorant in our rutile blue which is about
> 50% of sales, we had a moment of panic, and then got on the phone.
> Here's what we heard....wondering if anyone else has been hearing any of
> this.
>
> Rutile and illmenite come mostly from Dupont. The supply is drying up
> because of the demand for Titanium taken from the rawer ores. Also,
> there seem to be 2 grades of powdered illmenite, 200 and 325 mesh. We
> got some from Great Lakes Clay (200 mesh where we'd been using 325). We
> found a couple of others who still had 325 and a couple who hadn't heard
> of any problem.
>
> The 200 mesh greatly changed the glaze, moving from a nice clear speckled
> blue to a rutile blue-green, muddier look. Continental has since come
> into some 325 mesh which we're about to test, along with a sample from
> Mile-hi in Denver.
>
> Will post the results. Dick Aerni, could this mesh issue have been part
> of the problems you were having some time ago with the rutile?
>
| |
|
