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[April 2006]
Rio Tinto Minerals to Offer Range of Solutions at Ceramitec
Ceramitec regulars will be used to Luzenac’s offerings of almost 30 talc products for technical ceramics, mullite-cordierite refractory applications, white, super white and extra white floor tiles and glazes, engobes and frits.
Ceramitec 2006 (16-19 May 2006, Munich, Germany) is, says the parent company, set to offer something extra: the synergy of Luzenac, the world’s foremost talc producer; Borax, the world leader in borates supply and science; and Dampier Salt, the world leader in the export of solar salt. Together, these companies form Rio Tinto Minerals.
Formed on 1 February 2006, Rio Tinto Minerals offers the industry a one-stop shop for all borate, talc and salt requirements.
Rio Tinto Minerals offers a wide range of microcrystalline, compact talcs with excellent pressing behaviour for electroceramics, steatites and cordierites. Combined with kaolinitic clays, RTM’s chlorite-containing talc grades and pure chlorites facilitate cordierite synthesis for kiln furniture production. In porcelain tiles, FLUXITE®, LUZENAC SSB60 and LUZENAC CV3 talc grades are used as flux agents to help accelerate firing cycles and save energy costs.
Rio Tinto Minerals will also be featuring its borate products. NEOBOR®, DEHYBOR® and OPTIBOR® are essential components of most ceramic and all enamel frits, contributing to the reduction of the melting temperature as well as improving glaze and enamel appearance, chemical and mechanical durability, and glaze/body fit by better control of the coefficient of thermal expansion.
In many tiles produced by pressing, OPTIBOR® is an inorganic binder that improves dry mechanical resistance and productivity. It can also facilitate the production of thinner tiles, providing cost savings and reducing CO2 emissions.
In brick production (heavy clay), BRIOBOR® facilitates extrusion and improves kiln productivity, saving energy. It may also allow the elimination of barium carbonate and the use of lower quality raw materials.
ENDS