Nepheline Syenite
The applications whichcan use this mineral are
highlighted. Please select
one to learn more.
Product Benefits
Technical Details
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
Minex is the brand name for the nepheline syenite used in coating applications.
Benefits
- Dirt pick-up resistance: the presence of nepheline syenite improves the resistance of the coating towards dirt (from the atmosphere, for example).
- Ease of tinting: due to the combination of refractive index, brightness and colour, paints containing nepheline syenite provide excellent reproducible colour results when working with tinting systems.
- Texture effect: usage of coarse grades will provide texture to the coating surface.
- Tint retention: paints containing nepheline syenite show improved tint retention over other minerals when subjected to natural weathering.
- UV resistance and weatherability: due to its inertness, nepheline syenite supports good UV and weatherability performance to exterior architectural coatings.
- Block resistance: with its non-stick properties, the use of nepheline syenite allows for faster stacking of coated substrates as they won’t stick together.
- Burnish resistance: due to its hardness of 6 on Mohs scale, nepheline syenite provides good burnish resistance (low tendency to become glossy when rubbed).
- Gloss control: the gloss level of an interior coating can be regulated by selecting the appropriate grade of nepheline syenite.
- Scrub resistance: due to its hardness of 6 on Mohs scale, nepheline syenite improves the wet-scrub resistance of interior decorative paints.
- Stain blocking and stain resistance: nepheline syenite acts as a supporting mineral filler in stain blocking and stain resistant coatings.
- Abrasion and scratch resistance: due to its fairly high hardness of 6 on Mohs scale, nepheline syenite provides abrasion and scratch resistance to the coating.
- Chemical resistance: due to its inert nature, nepheline syenite provides good chemical resistance compared to conventional fillers.
- 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.
- IR reflection: nepheline syenite contributes to the IR reflection of roof coatings.
- 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.
