Perlite

Perlite is a glassy volcanic rock which will, upon rapid controlled heating, expand or "pop" into a frothy material of low bulk density, valued as a lightweight aggregate. The term perlite also is applied to the expanded product. The chemical composition of perlite ranges from that of rhyolite to that of andesite; the water content ranges from 2 to 5%. Most perlite is pale gray, but some is black, brown, or even green. Inclusions in perlite are common and include phenocrysts of quartz, feldspar, biotite, and hornblende, and miscellaneous rock fragments. Occurrences of perlite are restricted to areas of Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic rocks. Perlite occurs as flows associated with thick accumulations of pyroclastic debris and other flow rocks, as dikes, sills, domes, and as selvages of intrusive bodies of volcanic rock. Individual flows of perlite range in thickness from a few feet to as much as 100 ft and commonly cover several square miles. Dikes and sills of perlite generally are small, but domes generally are substantial in size and may be as much as several miles in diameter. Most perlite deposits are large enough and topographically situated so as to lend themselves to low-cost open pit mining methods. Conventional equipment is employed in the mining of perlite. Although milling procedures may appear to be simple, care is exercised in order to produce a carefully sized product and to minimize the production of excessive quantities of fine materials, which have limited use and are considered as waste. Perlite is processed, or "popped," in one of two basic types of furnaces: horizontal rotary or vertical stationary. Both types of furnaces include product collection and dust control systems. Many commercial deposits of perlite are known to occur throughout the world, and although no exact estimate of reserves is available, there appears to be an adequate supply to meet current and future worldwide requirements. End Uses The uses of expanded perlite are many and varied and are based primarily upon its physical and chemical properties. Because of its (1) low bulk density, which generally ranges between 2 and 20 lb per cu ft; (2) low thermal conductivity "K" factor (Btu per hr per sq ft per OF per in, of thickness), which ranges between 0.267 for loosely packed perlite (bulk density of 4.48 lb per cu ft) to 1.25 for perlite gypsum plaster; (3) high resistance to fire; and (4) low sound transmission, expanded perlite is used to a great advantage as aggregate and insulating material in the construction industry. Early uses of perlite were related exclusively to the construction industry, which now consumes about 60% of the domestic production. The primary use of perlite now is as aggregate in insulation boards. Other uses of perlite in 1971 were as aggregate for plaster, horticultural aggregate, low-temperature insulation (cryogenics), and concrete. Because of its low thermal conductivity ("K" factor), high adsorption of sound, low bulk density, and fire resistance, perlite aggregate plasters hold many advantages over conventional plaster. Perlite aggregate plaster lends itself to machine applications, dries quickly, and has relatively high elasticity which reduces cracking after drying. These same features make perlite useful as aggregate in portland cement concrete and asphalt concrete for construction wherever weight reduction, insulation, and acoustics are of prime importance. Perlite-portland cement concrete offers up to 20 times more thermal insulation than conventional concrete, and because of this it finds wide application in roof decks and floor fill in multistory buildings, in