Industrial Minerals Within Europe An Imerys Perspective. MINEX Europe 2015 Owen Herod Corporate Geology Manager

Transcription

1 Industrial Minerals Within Europe An Imerys Perspective Owen Herod Corporate Geology Manager

2 What are Industrial Minerals? they are used all around you. Steel reinforcement manufactured in blast furnaces insulated by refractory minerals, then rolled after reheating in furnaces lined with monolithic refractories High-tech screens with high-tactile sensitivity and ultra-strength polished with ultra-high precision abrasives Cover made of resistant, lightweight, fire-proofed and recyclable thanks to carbonates, mica, talc, carbon black Grinding, Grinding, milling Milling Calcining Bleaching Sizing Sintering Surface Chemistry Refining Fusion Magnet Plasma Flotation Pressing Extruding Pelletizing Casting Miniature batteries for highspeed charging and enhanced longevity thanks to graphite and carbon black Micro-chip and printed circuit boards made of silicium, manufactured in furnaces insulated by refractories then casted for refining in high purity quartz crucibles Spray drying Formulation Mineralogy, Analytics LogistIcs Insulating foils to avoid overheating of the micro-chip: graphite foils 2

3 What are Industrial Minerals? three catagories Industrial Mineral: Non metallic minerals and rocks finding application in crude or processed form as functional additives, raw materials or process enablers in a wide range of manufacturing and other industries. FUNCTIONAL ADDITIVES Ingredient added to product composition to enhance its properties RAW MATERIALS Important constituent of a mineral formula PROCESS ENABLERS Product used in industrial processes but not present in the finished product Kaolin, mica, talc, feldspar for paints or plastic parts Clay, kaolin, feldspar for sanitaryware & tableware Monolithic refractories for industrial equipment SHOCK ABSORPTION AND LIGHTNESS WHITENESS, STRENGTH HIGH-TEMPERATURE, HIGH WEAR RESISTANCE 3

4 Industrial Minerals Within Europe significant & globally important Industrial Minerals industry in Europe: 1 Over 700 mines and 750 plants Direct employment of 42,500 people 180Mt produced with a value of 10bn Europe is a major global contributor 2 4 1: Source: Industrial Minerals Association of Europe website 2: European Mineral Statistics British Geological Survey

5 What is Kaolin? Kaolinite - alumina silicate mineral Kaolin name derived from Kao-Lin in China White, plastic, thermally & chemically stable Wide range of industrial applications, including: Ceramics Paper Paints Plastics 5

6 Cornwall the UK s Kaolin district 2km 6

7 St Austell Kaolin world class industrial mineral deposit Deposits formed by combined hydrothermal and meteoric alteration of Granite Feldspar ± Mica altered to Kaolinite 1 *1 *2 Over 150 years of production Significant exports (within & external to Europe) Major contributor globally 7 1: Kaolin factsheet: British Geological Survey 2: Pruett et al, 2002

8 What is Bentonite? Clay rock comprising smectites Name derived from Benton Shale in US Formed by alteration of volcanic ash Water absorption and swelling characteritics Some major uses: Foundry Pelletising Drilling & construction Pet products 8

9 Milos Greece s Industrial Minerals Island 500m 9

10 Milos Bentonite World class industrial Mineral deposit Alteration of volcanic ash and pyroclastic flows Calcium bentonite Activation by Soda Ash Bentonite mined, shredded, activated and dried 8% of global bentonite produced All exported signficiant markets within Europe 10

11 Who are Imerys? A world leader in mineral specialties for industry Imerys transforms a unique range of minerals to deliver functional specialty solutions (heat resistance, mechanical strength, conductivity, coverage, barrier effect, etc.) essential for its customers products and manufacturing processes. A century of industrial know-how in extracting and processing minerals, created in 1999 out of the industrial minerals activity of Imetal (French group). +30 minerals including bentonite, calcium carbonate, feldspar, graphite, kaolin, mica, talc, wollastonite, etc. 11

12 Imerys European Mining Sites Over 50 mining sites within Europe 12

13 Imerys European Reserves & Resources Imerys Listed on NYSE Euronext Paris Annually reports Mineral Assets Uses PERC Standard 2013 Consolidated reporting of Industrial Minerals aligned with PERC clauses 50 and 51 Mineral group Reserves 2014 Resources 2014 Proved Probable Measured Indicated Inferred BALL CLAYS* 11,366 1,541 11,018 1, CARBONATES (calcite, marble, chalk, limestone, dolomite & dimension stone)* , ,169 45,256 CLAYS (brick & roof tile raw materials) 19,688 33,979 18,195 22,225 6,037 FELDSPAR, FELDSPATHIC SAND & PEGMATITE 18,190 6,486 5,066 17,914 18,451 KAOLIN 2,129 18, ,918 7,783 MINERALS FOR FILTRATION (perlite & diatomite) ,211 8,118 MINERALS FOR REFRACTORIES (andalusite,quartzite,bauxite,bauxitic kaolin,ref clays & kaolin )* 3,395 1,593 3,055 1,331 2,413 TALC 8,165 3,225 7,316 7,743 3,736 OTHER MINERALS (bentonite, mica, vermiculite, quartz, slate, graphite)* 1, * Includes Africa

14 Conclusions Industrial Mineral deposits are an important part of the European Mining Landscape Europe continues to be significant for market and production of Industrial Minerals World-class IM deposits are present in Europe such as Imerys Kaolin mining in Southwest UK Bentonite on the Greece Island of Milos IM mines are often in mature mining districts where will the next ones come from.? 14