Construction Materials

X-ray Mineral Services has strong background in clay mineral analysis and have built a vast library of data on clay materials from multiple sources around the world. Routinely, XRD is used to characterise and quantify the clay mineralogy and XRF to determine the elemental chemistry. For a more detailed characterization, the analytical routine can be supplemented by a variety of other techniques fitted for the purpose.

These analyses are valuable tools for manufacturing to ensure consistency within the raw materials and are therefore valuable quality control tools. They also provide important information on any impurities, that are inevitably present in natural raw materials. The amount, type, and distribution of these potentially disadvantageous impurities, such as iron compounds, carbonates and sulphates, can be determined. Routine analyses of stockpiles can highlight subtle variations in the mineralogical and chemical composition of the raw materials that may impact the quality and consistency of the final product. Consistent sampling and analysis can help to identify any heterogeneities in advance and can be dealt with prior to manufacturing.