Minerals are the Inorganic substances having definite chemical composition and certain characteristic properties. Though most of the minerals are of Inorganic origin, some like Amber, Petroleum and Coal are of organic origin. These may not have fixed chemical composition or crystalline structure. Any substance in which geological process is involved in their formation has been grouped under minerals.
An ore is one that maybe used to obtain one or more Metals. Most of them are metallic such as Galena, which is mined for Lead. A few are non- metallic ores such as Barite, Calcite, Kaolinite which are not mined for minerals
Types of Products Tested
| Ceramic Materials | Building Stones |
| Kaolin (China Clay) | Granite |
| Ball Clay | Limestone |
| Fire Clay | Basalt |
| Wollastonite | Sandstone |
| Quartzite | |
| Talc |
| Cement Raw materials | Refractory |
| Gypsum | Sillimanite |
| Limestone | Kyanite |
| Coal Ash | |
| Clay | |
| Bauxite | |
| Iron Ore |
Testing Parameters:
| Loss on Ignition | Iron Oxide |
| Calcium Oxide | Sodium Oxide |
| Potassium Oxide | Total Moisture |
| Free Moisture | Combined water |
| Oil absorption | Water Absorption |
| Silica | Magnesia |
| Chlorides | Phosphates |
| Manganese | Lead |
| Zirconium | Heavy metals |
| Acid solubles | Acid insolubles |
| Water solubles | Sieve analysis |
| Free silica | Free lime |
| Bulk density | Apparent porosity |
| Alkalinity | Attrition loss |
| Swelling Power | Boil test |
| Transmittance | Odour in Emission |
| Ratio of Ingredients | Alumina |
| Titania | Sulphates |
| Copper | Chromium |
| Zinc | Nickel |
| Molybdenum | Chloride |
| Carbon | Water insolubles |
| pH value | Volatile matter |
| Available lime | Carbonates |
| Specific gravity | Ash content |
| Oil content |
Protocols Followed:
- International Standards (ISO)
- Indian Standards (IS)
- British Standards (BS)
- American Standards (ASTM)
- German Standards (DIN)
- Standard Reference books for analysis of mineral ores
Instrumentation:
- Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)
- UV -visible spectrophotometer
- Dean & Stark Apparatus
- Turbidometer
- Digital pH meter
- Conductivity meter
- Moh’s Hardness kit
- Strohlein Apparatus
- Soxhlet Apparatus
