Kaolin

Kaolinite is an industrial mineral belonging to the group of aluminosilicates. The term kaolin is used to describe a group of relatively common clay minerals with an enhanced concentration of kaolinite and is produced by the chemical weathering of aluminium silicate minerals. It is a soft, earthy, usually white, mineral (dioctahedral phyllosilicate clay).

Kaolin’s commercial attributes primarily revolve around being chemically inert over a wide pH range, brightness, film strength, whiteness, opacity, gloss, viscosity, low heat and low electrical conductivity, which leads to a diversified range of industrial applications.

Metakaolin

Low-Carbon Concrete

Metakaolin is in demand as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) that could advance low carbon cement and concrete by partially substituting clinker in Portland cement and concrete binder mixes.

Use of SCM’s is the most viable alternative to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions of the cement and concrete industries in the short term, and metakaolin is increasingly regarded as the most promising pozzolanic material for the future.

The cement and concrete industry represents circa 8% of global emissions and studies have shown metakaolin can enable the associated CO₂ emissions of producing concrete to be reduced by up to 40%.

The Australian cement and concrete industry has declared its commitment to net zero carbon concrete by 2050.

Direct Shipping Ore (DSO)

Zeotech’s approved mining lease  (ML 80126) hosts high-grade kaolin near surface, offering cost effective immediate access to direct shipping ore (DSO). The Toondoon project representing some of the highest-grade alumina, low iron raw ore kaolin in Australia.

The high alumina content will allow the ore to be highly suitable to a number of sectors including the white cement industry, refractories, and fibreglass manufacturing.