Nepheline Syenite

Nepheline syenite (silicate, naturally occurring blend of albite, microcline and nepheline) is a feldspatic mineral mined in Canada and Norway.

Nepheline syenite can be characterised by:

• High purity
• Absence free crystalline silica (free of labelling)
• Brightness
• Relatively low refractive index, making it a transparent filler in various binders
• High inertness in various media
• Easy wetting
• Transparency for UV-radiation (ie. suitable for UV-curing processes).

 

Basic properties

Property	Value	Unit
Hardness (Mohs)	6	[-]
Refractive index	1.51 – 1.53	[-]
Density	2.6	[kg/ dm3]

 

 

 

 

Product overview

Product overview Minex

Product	Grade	D50 [µm]	Tappi [-]	OA [g/ 100 g]	pH [-]	Moisture [%]
Minex	2	13.6	85.5	26.5	10.3	0.09
	3	11.0	88.0	27.0	10.3	0.09
	4	7.6	88.7	30.0	10.4	0.10
	7	3.5	90.0	33.0	10.4	0.16
	10	2.6	90.5	35.0	10.5	0.18
	12	1.5	92.0	34	10.5	0.20

Production location Minex

 

 

Product overview Nepheline

Product	Grade	D50 [µm]	R457 [%]	OA [g/ 100 g]	pH [-]	Moisture [%]
Nepheline	S4 PO	9.2	81.5	21	10.1	0.1
	S6 PO	5.1	84.4	22	10.2	0.2
	S7 PO	4.3	85.4	23	10.4	0.2
	S10 PO	1.9	85.6	31	10.4	0.4

 

Mining locations Nepheline

 

 

Application

Nepheline syenite will provide:

 

• Chemical resistance: due to its inert nature, nepheline syenite provides good chemical resistance compared to conventional fillers.
• Abrasion resistance: due to its hardness of 6 on Mohs scale, nepheline syenite will increase the coating’s resistance to wear.
• Clarity: due to its fairly low refractive index, nepheline syenite becomes transparent when combined with certain binder systems.
• UV-curing compatibility: being transparent for UV radiation, nepheline syenite does not block the curing mechanism.
• Gloss control: with the availability of ultrafine nepheline syenite (Minex 12, Minex S-10) and a product with an optimised particle size distribution (Minex EP-315), it is possible to apply coatings with a broad range of gloss levels.
• Pore and grain filling properties (sealer): with low impact on the viscosity, nepheline syenite can be used as a mineral filler in sealers to give them more body.
• Stain blocking and stain resistance: nepheline syenite acts as a supporting mineral filler in stain blocking and stain resistant coatings.

 

Advantage over quartz and cristobalite and certain feldspar grades: nepheline syenite grades are free of labelling, and can therefore be used as an alternative when labelled grades of other mineral fillers are no longer allowed or wanted.