\» ... -*. vv v . » • o >>*.'WjP V^' *> vv /^ *bv° *\ "W :- *bv? o > • ^ A* •% 4, O W '■p >, ^ v-o* r ^6* *bV" .v ^,* v ^JtA- ^ a v V^V* °V^> """S^^V' °V^V *° v^V^ X ^ t. v .^ v /;A>°:-. %. ^ ••>»;•. '«. .* .^vi- %. ,^ v /iaK'. ^ ^ v ,aw«-. V> ,G V > *9 0* * "JL* ♦, "*b .*** . . ^ w J ** v. ' ^^ .'-^^jpr- «tsi> *VKfl^^*. *^^ •bV ^o^ j ^<=>- v^ 1 J ^^- V^' °o o > ^* ^0< -» . . • ^G v 'o.. *^T« ^ •• *o • « ° " ^ ° ° • ► * ^.G o **~?V o* '^* '* A o0 V % *^* .^ q,. -^!T« # .0 ^r* *> v ^ *1LL^* :•• V :|K; y ' ;^VV^:$j$r V"#V '" ;* . v • • * 4 * <^. 'o » » ^ ** , T7r^ \a *o. ♦*TV^• A BUREAU OF MINES INFORMATION CIRCULAR/1989 37/ The Talc Industry-An Overview By Robert L. Virta UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Mission: As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has respon- sibility for most of our nationally-owned public lands and natural and cultural resources. This includes fostering wise use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, pre- serving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and pro- viding for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also promotes the goals of the Take Pride in America campaign by encouraging stewardship and citizen responsibil- ity for the public lands and promoting citizen par- ticipation in their care. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reser- vation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. Administration. [(ALk4M&"L Information Circular 9220 The Talc Industry-An Overview By Robert L. Virta UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Manuel J. Lujan, Jr., Secretary BUREAU OF MINES T S Ary, Director ^ 5 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data: Virta, Robert L. The talc industry-an overview/by Robert L. Virta. <** JON (Bureau of Mines information circular 9220) • 0* _mm\ jr Bibliography: p. 11 ^ **m sT""^ - Supt. of Docs, no.: I 28.27:9220. 1. Talc industry-United States. 2. Talc-United States. 4. Talc. I. Title. II. Series: Information circular (United Mines); 9220. 3. Talc industry. States. Bureau of TN295.U4 [HD9585.T33U62] 622 s-dcl9 [338.27676'0973] 89-600027 CONTENTS Page Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Industry structure 2 Production 2 Processing 3 Applications and specifications 3 Prices 6 Supply and demand 7 Outlook 10 References 11 ILLUSTRATION 1. Flowsheet for a talc flotation mill 4 TABLES 1. Mineral composition of talc deposits 5 2. Selected properties of ceramic-grade talc 5 3. Selected properties of cosmetic-grade talc 5 4. Selected properties of paint-grade talc 6 5. Salient talc statistics 7 6. End uses for ground talc in the United States 8 7. Talc and pyrophyllite: World production, by country 8 8. Consumption of talc by end use 9 9. Major talc-exporting countries 9 10. Major talc-importing countries 10 UNIT OF MEASURE ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT in inch st/yr short ton per year /zm micrometer yr year st short ton THE TALC INDUSTRY-AN OVERVIEW By Robert L. Virta 1 ABSTRACT This U.S. Bureau of Mines paper discusses the structure of the talc industry, talc production, processing of talc ore, applications and demand for talc, and the outlook for the talc industry. 'Physical scientist, Branch of Industrial Minerals, U.S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC. INTRODUCTION The mineral talc, a soft, hydrous magnesium silicate, MggSigO^OH)^ is formed through hydrothermal altera- tion of ultrabasic rocks and low-grade metamorphism of siliceous dolomites (I). 2 In addition to the mineral talc, talc deposits may also contain magnesite, quartz, chlorite, magnetite, serpentine, anthophyllite, tremolite, dolomite, and actinolite (2). The mineralogy of each deposit is determined by the metamorphic conditions under which it formed. A high-purity massive talcose rock is called steatite, while the impure massive variety is referred to as soapstone. Lava is used to designate block talc or finished products made from block talc. French talc is a soft, mas- sive variety of talc used for marking cloth (3). Talc has been used commercially for over 100 yr in the United States. It is most widely recognized for its use in talcum powders, although the major consumers of talc are the ceramics, paint, paper, and roofing industries. This paper reviews changes that have occurred in the talc industry in recent years and provides background information on the current talc industry. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE There were 19 talc mining companies operating in the United States in 1988. These companies generally were structured to cover all aspects of talc mining, from mining to processing (3). Only a few of them hired custom grinders to process the ore. Most companies conducted their own marketing programs, although sales were also made through mineral brokers. Most companies con- ducted in-house research to develop new end uses for their products and to test the performance of their talc in established product lines. The largest companies were Cyprus Industrial Minerals Co.; Dai-Briar Co. (Texas Talc); Gouverneur Talc Co., a subsidiary of R. T. Vander- bilt Co. Inc.; Pfizer Inc., Minerals, Pigments, and Metals Division; Vermont Talc Co.; and Windsor Minerals Inc. (4)? More than half of the domestic talc producers are either divisions or subsidiaries of larger, more diversified organizations. These subsidiaries can be affiliated with domestic or foreign companies. Examples include South- ern Clay Products Inc., a subsidiary of Eastern China Clay America Inc.; Southern Talc Co., a subsidiary of United Catalysts Inc.; Dai-Briar, a subsidiary of Dai-Tile Inc.; and Westex Minerals Co., a subsidiary of Milwhite Co. Approximately 120 companies operated between 150 and 200 talc mines in 41 market economy countries (5). The largest market economy country companies were AS Norwegian Talc of Norway, Costalco Mineracao e Comercio Ltda. of Brazil, Finnminerals of Finland, the Golcha Group in India, Talcs de Luzenac of France, and Western Mining Corp. Ltd. of Australia. The increasing international nature of the minerals industry is influencing the industry structure. Many com- panies, in an effort to offer a wider range of talc grades, have made international marketing agreements. For example, in 1982, R. T. Vanderbilt began marketing certain grades of talc produced by Canada's Steetley Talc Ltd. to supplement its line of tremolitic talc products (<5). In 1986, Cyprus Industrial Minerals obtained exclusive rights to purchase cosmetic talc produced by Mount Seabrook Talc NL of Australia as a means of improving its market in Europe (7). Many companies, rather than enter into an international agreement, acquire full or partial ownership of foreign mining operations. Doing so permits companies to have access to major markets at lower transportation cost and permits the purchasing company and acquired company to jointly increase their capital investments for process upgrading (8). Several companies involved in international ownership are Cyprus Industrial Minerals Co., Eastern China Clay International pic, Talcs de Luzenac, and Steetley Industries Ltd. PRODUCTION In 1987, 34 of the 38 active talc mines in the United States were open pit operations. Open pit mines are generally safer than underground mines and have better production rates (9). In 1985, over 93% of the talc ore produced in the United States came from open pit opera- tions (10). Italic numbers in parentheses refer to items in the list of references at the end of this report. Vermont Talc and Windsor Minerals were purchsed by Cyprus Industrial Minerals in 1988 and early 1989, respectively. Open pit mining involves removing the overlying soil and rock to gain access to the talc ore, fragmenting the ore using explosives, and transporting the fragmented ore to a mill for processing. The cost of removing the overburden and waste rock is a major concern in such talc mining. The amount of waste removed is greatest during the initial stage of mine development and when the open pit is being expanded. The ratio of waste rock to talc ore removed from open pit mining operations was 6.8 to 1 in 1985; i.e., for every ton of talc ore recovered from the deposit, 6.8 tons of waste material was removed (10). Waste rock to ore ratios up to 10 to 1 are not uncommon in talc mining operations. Drilling and blasting are carefully planned to minimize costs and to achieve good fracturing of the ore. Massive talc ores require more blasting than fractured ores (11). Blasting is kept to a minimum and is carefully planned to produce blocks of adequate size when steatite-type talc is mined for sculpturing (3). In poorly indurated deposits, backhoes may be adequate to rip the material loose. When the waste rock to ore ratio becomes too large, open pit mining becomes uneconomical and underground mining is used. Room-and-pillar and shrinkage stoping methods are used to mine talc underground (11). Room- and-pillar mining is used on flat or gently dipping ores. As the ore body is mined, pillars of ore are left in a regular pattern to support the roof of the mine (12). Shrinkage stoping is used on steeply dipping ore bodies. For the shrinkage stoping method, tunnels are driven into the base of the ore. Drilling and blasting proceed upward into the ore body. Following each blast, approximately one-third of the broken ore is removed for processing. The remain- der supports the side walls of the stope and serves as a working platform for the miners as drilling proceeds up- ward into the ore body. When the stope is completed, all of the broken ore is removed and the walls of the stope are allowed to collapse. Typically, production is only a few tons per hour by either method (11). A minimal amount of waste material is removed during underground mining because the mine is located essentially within the ore body. In 1985, the ratio of waste rock to talc ore was approximately 1 to 10.5 in underground mining (10). In talc mining operations, the slipperiness of the talc ore can pose some unusual problems. Slip-reducing tires or chains may be used on mechanized loaders and haulers, and haulage slopes generally have gentle gradients. When mining underground, extensive cribbing and timbering may be required to support the rock and are placed carefully to minimize lateral forces acting on these support members (3). PROCESSING In many instances, the processing of the talc ore begins at the mine site. Selective mining and/or hand sorting are used to produce a high-grade feed for the mill. Optical sorters are used at a few operations to automate the sorting process. Sometimes the talc ore is washed to remove fine dust and impurities (9, 13). At the mill, a variety of grinding and beneficiation strategies are used to produce the final ground product. Hammer mills and jaw crushers are used to reduce the size of the largest ore received (9). Roller mills commonly are used to produce the final product. When used in conjunction with air classifiers, roller mills can be used to grind talc to an approximate mean particle size of 5 to 10 fim or 0.00004 in. Where color is a critical factor, a ceramic-based grinding apparatus, such as a ceramic pebble mill, can be used. Talc is very soft, and reasonable grinding rates can be achieved by using ceramic grinding media (11). The grinding mills are sometimes equipped with oil or gas combustion chambers to permit simulta- neous grinding and drying of the ore and are frequently used in closed circuit with air separators (3). More sophisticated grinding techniques must be em- ployed when particle sizes of approximately 3 /xm or less are required. Fluid-energy mills or pulverizing mills are usually used for ultrafine grinding of the talc ore (3, 9, 11). Air pressure, moisture content, and temperature are carefully controlled for ultrafine grinding to optimize the process (9). Flotation processes are used when the desired product purity cannot be obtained using conventional processing. Ore that has passed through a grinding circuit is used as the feed material for the flotation circuit. The ground material is chemically treated to prepare the ore for the flotation process. The treated ore is passed through rougher and cleaner cells, often making multiple passes, before being dewatered and thickened. The filter cake is dried in a flash dryer and ground in a pulverizer (fig. 1) (3, 11). Ore composition, reagent type, pulp density, pH of the flotation system, and residence time in the flotation circuits affect flotation efficiency. Sodium silicate is a common modifier used in flotation processes, and methyl isobutyl carbinol is a common flotation reagent. Details on the conditioning process and reagents generally are not released by the companies. For some filler applications, additional processing of the talc products is desirable or required. For instance, most of the talc mined in Texas is dark green to black in color. The talc must be calcined to increase its whiteness before it can be used in many applications. Calcined talc that is used in plastics must be low in calcium, acid solubles, and impurities. Sometimes talc is surface-treated with an organic compound to enhance its performance in the man- ufactured product (9). The additional processing benefits the talc producer because it increases the value of the talc. APPLICATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS Properties such as softness (1 on the Mohs scale), pur- ity, fragrance retention, whiteness, luster, moisture content, oil and grease adsorption, chemical inertness, low electrical conductivity, high dielectric strength, and high thermal conductivity are important for commercial applications (3). These properties are not universal to all talcose materials — * if s \ ' J ' FROM DRY MILL THICKENER ' w WATER , k / 'i FEED BIN k FILTER 1 ' 'f MIXING TANK DRYER 1 f w CONDITIONING TANK i COLLECTOR * < ' V k ROUGHER CELL ' BAUER HURRICANES < SCAVENGER CELLS 1 *J -T ^ r i \ ' if NO. 1 "N - BAUER i k CLEANER CELLS \ r CENTRI-SONIC ' i ' 1 ' \ • NO. 2 CLEANER CELLS COLLECTOR ii \ ' l I NO. 3 CLEANER CELL BAGGER ^ ' — + Figure 1. -Flowsheet for a talc flotation mill. because of differences in the mineralogical compositions and particle shape (table 1). Mineral content is extremely important because it usually dictates the end use. Table 1 .-Mineral composition of talc deposits, percent Mineral California Montana New North Vermont York Carolina Talc 85-90 90-95 35-60 80-92 80-92 Tremolite 0-12 30-55 Anthophyllite .0 3-10 0- 5 Serpentine ... 2-50 Quartz <1 <1 1-3 1-3 <1 Chlorite 2-4 5-7 2-4 Dolomite 0-3 1-3 0-2 2-4 1-3 Calcite 1-2 Magnesite ... 0-5 1-3 0- 5 Source: Grexa (24). Talc is used primarily in ceramics, cosmetics, paint, paper, plastics, roofing, and rubber. Minor amounts of talc are also used for sculpturing block, foundry facings, and rice polishing, and as filler in asphalt, caulking, floor tile, insecticides, joint compounds, refractories, and stucco. Ceramic-grade talc is used to produce wall tile, electric- al ceramics, sanitaryware, stoneware, opaque glasses, vitre- ous china, catalytic converters, and other whiteware. Wall tile, electrical ceramics, sanitaryware, and stoneware are the most common uses of ceramic-grade talc. Although talc composes less than 5% by weight of most ceramics, talc content may be 40% to 50% for catalytic converters and may approach 70% for ceramic insulators and ceramic tiles (5). Talc is usually mixed with clay, quartz, and fluxes in the final product. Talc serves as an inexpensive source of magnesium oxide, acts as a flux to lower firing tempera- tures, improves the thermal shock resistance of the final product, permits fast firing techniques, has low-moisture expansion characteristics, and is amenable to dry-pressing techniques. In general, ceramic talc must be less than 325 mesh, have low iron and manganese contents, have low aluminum oxide and calcium oxide contents if used in elec- trical insulators and catalytic converters, and not discolor the product on firing (table 2) (3, 5, 11). Table 2.-Selected properties of ceramic-grade talc Property Specification MgO content 30.0% minimum. SiO, content 60.0% minimum. Al 2 d 3 content 4.0% maximum. CaO content 1.0% maximum. Fe 2 3 content 1.5% maximum. Alkali content 0.4% maximum. Loss on ignition 6.0% maximum. Acid-soluble lime content 1.0% maximum. Particle size 95.0% less than 325 mesh; 99.0% less than 200 mesh. Source: Bentzen (14). Cosmetic uses for talc encompass all varieties of face powders and body dusting powders. Cosmetic-grade talcs also include talc used in pharmaceutical products and medicinal tablets, creams, and soaps (14). Over 50% of most cosmetics is talc, the remainder being a combination of oxides, stearates, perfumes, and starch. Talc is used in cosmetics to impart softness and lubricity, improve the hiding power of the product, and aid in retaining added perfumes (5, 15). Cosmetic talcs (and talcs used as fillers in pharmaceutical products) must meet strict standards to assure the quality of the product. The major requirements are that 98% of the particles should be less than 200 mesh and that the talc should contain no gritty material, contain less than 6% acid-soluble minerals and no amphiboles, and have a consistent color and mineralogical composition (table 3) (3, 5). Table 3.-Selected properties of cosmetic-grade talc Property Specification Color As specified by buyer, with no color change on heating. Talc identification Positive using infrared spectro- photometry or x-ray diffrac- tometry. Water-soluble substances 0.1% maximum. Acid-soluble substances 6.0% maximum. Particle size 100% less than 100 mesh; 98% less than 200 mesh. Loss on ignition 6.0% maximum. Arsenic content 3 ppm maximum. Lead content 20 ppm maximum. Fibrous amphibole content .... None detected. Source: Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association Inc., Washington, DC. The insecticides category includes fertilizers, insecti- cides, herbicides, and fungicides. Talc serves principally as a carrier to distribute the fertilizer, insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide, and to dilute the chemical to prevent damage from concentrated dosages (5, 16). Talc also serves as an anticaking agent for dry compounds. Talc is useful be- cause it is absorbent, disperses in liquids, does not react with insecticides, will not clog equipment when finely ground, and will not abrade nozzles (3, 5, 16). Fuller's earth is the leading competitor with talc, followed by ka- olin, bentonite, diatomite, perlite, sepiolite, and attapulgite (5, 16). The paint category covers all varieties of paints: water- based, oil-based, synthetic resin paints, and lacquers. In the United States, talc is used primarily in topcoats, indus- trial paint, and industrial primers (17). Particularly when it contains prismatic tremolite, talc is an excellent rein- forcer and greatly reduces cracking in the dry paint film (3, 5, 11). Talc also reduces settling and separation of the paint components, helps to smooth ridges left during brush applications, is an inexpensive extender for more expensive white pigments, and absorbs oil better than most minerals (3, 5, 11, 14). Its softness minimizes abrasion of high- speed paint mixers, and it disperses well in both oil- and water-based paint (5, 11). Talc is selected for use in paints based on chemical composition, oil absorption, particle size, particle shape, particle size distribution, refractive index, and water-soluble matter content (table 4). Talc competes with calcium carbonate, kaolin, barite, and mica as a filler and extender in paint (5, 18). Table 4.-Selected properties of paint-grade talc Property Specification Calcium oxide content 10% maximum. Magnesium and calcium silicate content 88% minimum. Loss on ignition 7% maximum. Moisture and other volatiles content 1% maximum. Water-soluble matter content . . 1% maximum. Particle size 2% maximum greater than 325 mesh. Oil absorption Negotiated. Color Do. Consistency Do. Fineness Do Source: ASTM (25). Talc is used in a variety of paper products, including wrapping paper, writing paper, packaging paper, and paperboard products (19). It is used principally for pitch control; the pitch adheres to the surface of the talc and is dispersed throughout the paper rather than agglomerating to form spots in the paper products. Talc also fills the interstices between the cellulose fibers, reduces the trans- parency of the paper, increases the brightness of the paper, improves ink reception, increases paper density, and re- duces the demand for more expensive paper pulp (3, 5, 11, 19). Printing and writing papers can contain up to 30% filler; paperboard products, 10%; and newsprint, 8% (5). Talc is selected as a filler because of its high white- ness, its nonabrasive nature, its chemical inertness, and its availability in ultrafine particle size (3, 5, 11). Competing minerals as paper fdlers include calcium carbonate, kaolin, and titanium dioxide (5, 19). The plastics category includes polypropylene, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyester (5, 9). Talc is used primarily as a filler in polypropylene (5, 9, 20-22). It can compose up to 50% by weight of the components in plastics (5, 9). As a bulk filler, it reduces the amount of resin required in the product and thus re- duces costs. Talc also imparts desired physical, electrical, and processing properties to the plastic. Talc can also be used as a dusting agent to reduce friction between plastic- coated electrical wires in electric cables and cords. Chemical and heat resistance, impact strength, dimensional stability, thermal conductivity, tensile strength, creep re- sistance, and electrical conductivity can be improved using talc as a plastics filler (3, 5, 9, 11, 20-22). Talc competes with carbonates, clays, feldspar, mica, silica, and wollaston- ite as a mineral fdler (5). Talc is one of the few minerals used by the plastics industry as a reinforcer. Its platy nature provides rigidity to the composite (9, 20). Plastics with talc fillers exhibit higher stiffness and creep resistance at ambient and ele- vated temperatures than do plastics with mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate. For example, a polypropylene with a 40% loading of talc filler has a stiffness 3 times that of polypropylene with no filler and 1.5 times that of polypropylene with a 40% loading of calcium carbonate (20). Talcs selected as fillers are chosen according to color, particle size and shape, resin absorption, moisture content, and iron content (5, 9, 11). Platy talc offers better heat resistance and is softer than acicular talcs. Acicular talcs offer better reinforcement (5). Talc is used in the manufacture of roofing products as a filler and a dusting agent. It is added to asphalt and bitumen to increase their viscosities, melting points, hard- ness, and resistance to stress and weathering (3, 5). Talc also is used to dust the surfaces of asphalt roofing products to prevent sticking during manufacture and storage. Talc used by the roofing industry generally is ground to minus 80 mesh, and although it is usually low grade, it must have high absorbency (5, 11). Talc is used by the rubber industry in the production of tires, tubing, sheets, valves, flooring products, backing for textiles, and electric cable insulation (5). Talc is used as a dusting agent to prevent sticking of the rubber to the mold, to reduce the amount of expensive resins used to produce rubber products, to increase the stiffness of un- cured compounds, and to reinforce rubber products (3, 5, 11). The talc should be less than 45 /im in size and con- tain no abrasive minerals that could cause wear of the processing equipment. Talc should be white when used as a filler in latex fabric backings, but color is not critical for most other uses (11). Talc competes with calcium carbon- ate, kaolin, and silica. Talc comprised less than 10% of the rubber filler market in 1983 (5). Specifications for the minor uses vary widely. For sculpturing, the talc block should be free of cracks and other imperfections that could reduce its integrity. The most desirable color for sculpturing block is apple green, although dark green talc blocks are also used. For use in asphalt, joint compounds, and stucco, the talc should be ground relatively fine. Color would be more important for stucco than for asphalt fillers and joint compounds. PRICES Prices for processed talc range from $50 to $250 per ton. Talcs used as fillers for roofing, rubber, insecticides, and some plastics are the least expensive. Prices for these materials range from $50 to $100 per ton. Talcs for end uses such as cosmetics, some plastics, and paints command the highest prices (approximately $175 to $250 per ton). Prices, quoted by the Engineering and Mining Journal, December 1987, per short ton of domestic ground talc, in carload lots, f.o.b. mine or mill including containers, follow: New Jersey: Mineral pulp, bags extra $18.50-$20.50 Vermont: 98% through 325 mesh, bulk 70.00 99.99% through 325 mesh, bags: Dry processed 147.00 Water beneficiated 213.00-228.00 New York: 96% through 200 mesh 67.00- 75.00 98% to 99.25% through 325 mesh . 83.00-100.00 100% through 325 mesh, fluid-energy ground 165.00 California: Standard 130.00 Fractionated 37.00- 71.00 Micronized 150.00-220.00 Cosmetic steatite 44.00- 65.00 Georgia: 98% through 200 mesh 50.00 99% through 325 mesh 60.00 100% through 325 mesh, fluid-energy ground 100.00 Approximate equivalents, in dollars per short ton, of price ranges quoted in Industrial Minerals (London), December 1987, for talc, c.i.f. main European ports, follow: Norwegian: Ground (ex store) $162-$180 Micronized (ex store) 207- 288 French, fine-ground 216- 342 Italian, cosmetic-grade 315 Chinese, normal (ex store): UK 200 mesh 254 UK 325 mesh 265 New York, paint, minimum 20-st lot . 175 Talc prices often are reduced from quoted prices because of the competitive nature of the talc industry. The average sales price of talc, based on a 1983 constant dollar, increased from $69.82 per ton in 1963 to $93.55 per ton in 1983 (3). SUPPLY AND DEMAND In 1987, talc was produced by 22 companies operating 38 mines in 10 States. The largest of these companies were Cyprus Industrial Minerals, Dai-Briar (Texas Talc), Gouverneur Talc, Pfizer, Vermont Talc, and Windsor Minerals. These companies, operating mines in Alabama, California, Montana, New York, Texas, and Vermont, produced approximately 79% of the talc ore mined in the Unites States. The remainder was produced from mines in Arkansas, Georgia, Oregon, and Virginia (4). Historically, talc production in the United States has exceeded demand, and there has been minimal depen- dence on imported talc. In 1977-87, production ranged from 980,000 to 1.27 million st/yr, and demand ranged from 847,000 to 970,000 st/yr. U.S. exports ranged from 234,000 to 322,000 st/yr during this period. Neither production nor demand nor exports have shown the steady growth observed prior to 1973. Imports, however, have steadily risen from 22,000 to 53,000 st/yr between 1977 and 1987 (table 5). Table 5.-Salient talc statistics, thousand short tons Year Production Exports Imports Consumption 1977 1,099 322 22 943 1978 1,268 267 19 917 1979 1,268 316 22 960 1980 1,127 275 21 903 1981 1,236 311 27 982 1982 1,049 232 27 847 1983 980 218 44 901 1984 1,042 256 45 970 1985 1,188 237 47 921 1986 1,219 234 52 983 1987 1,258 318 53 938 Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (26). The largest domestic demand for talc is by the ceramics, paint, paper, and roofing industries, which accounted for 74% of the talc consumed in 1987. Over the past 10 yr, consumption of talc by the paper and roofing industries has increased; consumption by the ceramics industry, the major user, has fluctuated around 310,000 st; and consumption by the cosmetics, insecticides, paint, plastics, refractories, and rubber industries has decreased (table 6). Percentages for 1977 and 1987 follow: 1977 1987 Ceramics 32 33 Cosmetics 8 6 Insecticides 2 <1 Paint 22 15 Paper 7 14 Plastics 13 8 Refractories 1 <1 Roofing 3 12 Rubber 6 2 Other 6 9 Internationally, 39 other countries also mined talc. Production of talc and pyrophyllite was estimated to be 7.0 million st in 1987. The major talc-producing countries were Brazil, China, Finland, France, India, the Republic of Korea, the United States, and the U.S.S.R. (4). Canada, India, the Republic of Korea, and the United States had the greatest increase in production over the past 5 yr (table 7). End use patterns for other nations differed from those in the United States. The major reasons for end use Table 6.-End uses for ground talc in the United States, thousand short tons Year Ceramics Cosmetics Insecticides Paint Paper Plastics Refractories Roofing Rubber Other Total 1977 300 75 23 211 69 120 13 25 52 55 943 1978 257 69 13 192 87 147 6 18 36 92 917 1979 260 74 13 237 105 112 6 19 39 95 960 1980 282 59 11 197 102 110 2 20 37 83 903 1981 375 75 13 206 88 111 2 26 36 50 982 1982 292 45 7 170 79 54 2 94 21 83 847 1983 319 50 5 166 81 57 2 98 28 95 901 1984 358 44 8 189 100 67 4 86 29 85 970 1985 296 46 7 144 125 70 5 100 27 101 921 1986 343 46 6 168 127 69 3 106 25 90 983 1987 313 60 .5 138 127 79 2 112 19 88 938 Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (26). Table 7.-Talc and pyrophyllite: World production, by country, 1 short tons Country 2 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 Argentina (talc, steatite, pyrophyllite) 32,729 30,629 23,366 27,900 27,900 Australia (talc, chlorite, steatite, pyrophyllite) 194,644 205,867 153,652 207,287 193,000 Austria (unground talc) 134,623 147,722 144,903 146,959 143,000 Brazil (talc and pyrophyllite) 3 437,025 455,637 426,647 463,742 468,500 Burma 141 100 141 62 66 Canada (shipments) (talc, pyrophyllite, soapstone) .... 106,924 138,891 139,993 135,584 155,000 Chile 702 465 1,432 2,488 2,200 China 1,050,000 1,050,000 1,100,000 1,100,000 1,100,000 Columbia 7,318 7,479 9,492 20,393 20,400 Egypt 4,981 13,463 8,488 9,700 9,900 Finland 351,009 360,976 351,138 313,253 364,000 France (ground talc) 315,812 322,315 342,705 347,189 346,000 Germany, Federal Republic of (marketable) 15,773 19,030 22,835 24,123 23,100 Greece (steatite) 2,388 1,887 1 ,901 2,000 2,050 Hungary 18,700 19,300 18,700 17,700 16,500 India (pyrophyllite and steatite) 389,162 460,473 422,111 436,520 457,500 Italy (talc and steatite) 175,239 157,329 142,875 166,676 166,400 Japan 4 1,615,791 1,652,303 1,580,978 1,470,441 1,380,000 Korea, North 185,000 185,000 185,000 185,000 185,000 Korea, Republic of (talc and pyrophyllite) 696,810 935,475 1,027,880 879,291 880,000 Mexico 12,161 9,81 1 32,959 22,000 27,500 Nepal 5 16,825 8,372 6,630 9,678 9,900 Norway 1 10,000 6 124,561 1 10,000 1 10,000 1 10,000 Pakistan (pyrophyllite) 17,588 17,161 22,248 25,376 27,500 Paraguay 132 165 132 132 132 Peru (talc and pyrophyllite) 5,767 10,183 551 1,200 1,100 Philippines - 968 1,022 380 1,100 1,100 Portugal 6,018 6,838 3,976 4,565 4,400 Romania 66,000 72,000 72,000 72,000 72,000 South Africa, Republic of 7 12,337 15,886 15,925 14,602 14,600 Spain (steatite) 76,574 79,628 97,859 81,476 88,000 Sweden 23,210 19,712 15,432 2,205 2,200 Taiwan 29,821 20,591 19,357 23,757 22,000 Thailand (talc and pyrophyllite) 22,209 31,393 47,926 43,046 44,000 U.S.S.R 560,000 570,000 570,000 570,000 580,000 United Kingdom 17,600 21,000 22,046 13,230 13,200 United States (talc and pyrophyllite) 1,066,400 1,127,421 1,268,750 1,302,179 6 1 ,301 ,440 Uruguay 755 1,828 1,700 1,700 1,700 Zambia 1 ,447 405 10,504 293 290 Zimbabwe 607 314 482 879 880 Total 7,781,190 8,302,632 8,423,094 8.255.726 8.262,458 'Table includes data available through May 27, 1988. 2 ln addition to the countries listed, Czechoslovakia produces talc, but available information is inadequate to make reliable estimates of output levels. Total of beneficiated and salable direct shipping production of talc and pyrophyllite. includes talc, pyrophyllite, and pyrophyllite clay. 5 Data based on Nepalese fiscal year beginning mid-July of year stated. 6 Reported figure. includes talc and wonderstone. Source: Virta(4). variations are availability of appropriate grades of talc, transportation costs, size of the markets, and availability of competing minerals. For example, the paper industry is the largest consumer of talc in Canada, China, and Europe (table 8) (5), owing to both the availability of talc and extensive research on its use as paper fillers (5, 19). There is a considerable amount of international trade despite the widespread occurrence of talc and the high cost of transportation relative to the product value. Interna- tional trade was geographically restricted in most cases. The United States supplied talc to the North American continent, the major European producers restricted their trade to the European continent, and China and Australia exported talc to Japan. The few exceptions were Canadian exports to Denmark, Australian exports to Belgium-Lux- embourg and the United Kingdom, and U.S. exports to Japan. In general, transoceanic shipments were restricted to small tonnages (23). China and the United States were the major talc-export- ing countries, accounting for almost 940,000 st in trade. Table 8.-Consumption of talc by end use, percent Canada China Europe United (1984) (1984) (1986) States (1987) Ceramics 6 2 6 33 Cosmetics .... 3 1 3 6 Insecticides ... (') (*) 3 ( 2 ) Paint 11 2 11 15 Paper 34 60 52 14 Plastics (') (*) 7 8 Refractories ... ( ! ) ( x ) ( l ) ( 2 ) Roofing 25 ( 3 ) 7 12 Rubber 6 1 ( x ) 2 Other 15 34 11 9_ Total 100 100 100 100 'included under "Other" category. 2 Less than 0.5%. included under "Paint" category. Sources: Virta (4); Roskills (5). Other major exporting countries were Australia, Austria, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, and the Republic of Korea. These countries each exported 40,000 to 185,000 st of talc in 1986 (table 9). The Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Mexico, Belgium-Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom were the major importing countries in 1986 (table 10) (23). Table 9.-Major talc-exporting countries, 1986 Major exporting Quantity, Major destinations countries st and quantity, st Australia 202,080 Japan - 132,584. Netherlands - 16,808. Republic of Korea - 17,351. Austria 124,933 Italy - 16,926. Switzerland - 10,841. West Germany - 62,466. China 588,102 Hong Kong - 35,454. Japan - 502,862. Pakistan - 14,830. Finland 53,209 Netherlands - 9,371. Sweden - 13,272. United Kingdom - 8,992. France 109,695 Belgium-Luxembourg -13,890. Netherlands - 16,279. West Germany - 34,137. Italy 47,469 East Germany - 15,318. Mexico - 350. United Kingdom - 8,203. Korea, Republic of . . 46,820 Japan - 15,648. Taiwan - 6,430. Thailand- 11,538. Netherlands 9,716 Belgium-Luxembourg - 2,354. Italy- 1,286. West Germany - 4,854. Norway 47,058 Netherlands - 10,055. United Kingdom - 11,556. West Germany - 8,722. Sweden 8,975 Denmark - 1 ,276. Netherlands - 5,053. Norway - 1 ,230. United States 350,436 Belgium-Luxembourg -33,060. (1987 data). Canada - 67,222. Mexico - 164,198. Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (23). 10 Table 10.-Major talc-importing countries, 1986 Major importing Quantity, Major sources Major importing Quantity, Major sources countries St and quantity, st countries st and quantity, st Belgium-Luxembourg 75,615 France - 13,915. Netherlands - 13,797. Spain - 22,403. Mexico (1984 data) . . 113,125 Italy - 716. Republic of Korea - 221 . United States- 111,821. Canada 43,516 France - 325. United Kingdom - 149. United States - 42,896. Netherlands 51,695 Austria - 6,641 . France - 13,442. West Germany - 5,193. France 19,758 Austria - 3,734. Belgium-Luxembourg - 4,983. Italy - 5,556. Poland 25,516 China - 2,229. Czechoslovakia - 7,224. North of Korea- 10,378. Germany, Federal 163,424 Austria - 63,716. Sweden 30,044 Belgium-Luxembourg - 4,633. Republic of. France - 35,998. Italy - 13,805. Finland - 13,719. Norway - 7,502. Italy 32,469 Austria- 17,132. France - 5,669. Spain - 3,562. 16,444 Austria- 11,110. France - 1,319. Italy - 2,345. 655,980 Australia- 117,189. China - 486,727. Thailand 24,373 China - 13,574. Republic of Korea - 9,918. North Korea - 15,850. United Kingdom 75,386 Belgium-Luxembourg - 1 1 ,915. Korea, Republic of . . 46,202 Australia - 17,329. Hong Kong- 11,038. United States - 3,869. France - 13,800. Norway - 12,898. Source: U.S. Bureau of Mines (23). OUTLOOK In recent years, U.S. demand for talc has slowed considerably. The average annual growth in demand was 3.1% between 1967 and 1977. Between 1977 and 1987, the average annual growth in demand was slightly negative. Demand, however, averaged approximately 930,000 st/yr for this period. Relative increases and decreases in demand have been the result of minor market fluctuations rather than long-term trends. Demand for talc is expected to continue to fluctuate around 930,000 st/yr in the near future. The major U.S. demand for talc will continue to be by the ceramics industry, which will account for 30% to 35% of the total demand. Demand by the paint industry, if it continues to follow its 10-yr downward trend, will drop below that of the paper industry in several years. The use of talc by the paper industry should continue to increase as paper consumption grows. Demand by the plastics industry should grow slightly, following a large decline in the early 1980's. Demand for roofing-grade talc has increased over the past 10 years; however, this growth is not expected to continue at its current pace. Demand for cosmetic-grade talc will remain relatively constant, and demand by the insecticide, refractory, and rubber industries is likely to continue to decline in the near future. 11 REFERENCES 1. Deer, W., R Howie, and J. Zussman. An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals. Longman Group, 1966, 528 pp. 2. Kuzvart, M. Industrial Minerals and Rocks. Elsevier, 1984, 454 pp. 3. Clifton, R. A. Talc and Pyrophyllite. Ch. in Mineral Facts and Problems, 1985 Edition. BuMines B 675, 1985, pp 799-810. 4. Virta, R. L. Talc and Pyrophyllite. BuMines Minerals Yearbook 1987, v. 1, 7 pp. (preprint). 5. Roskills Information Services Ltd. (London). The Economics of Talc and Pyrophyllite. 5th ed., 1987, 250 pp. 6. Dickson, T. North American Talc. Ind. Miner. No. 183, Dec. 1982, pp. 75-78. 7. Industrial Minerals (London). Cyprus Gets Mount Seabrook Agency. No. 231, Dec. 1986, p. 8. 8. Roskills Information Services Ltd. (London). The Economics of Talc and Pyrophyllite. 4th ed., 1984, 236 pp. 9. Radosta, J. A., and N. C. Trivedi. Talc. Ch. in Handbook of Fillers and Reinforcements for Plastics, ed. by H. Katz and J. Milewski. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1978, pp. 160-171. 10. Tanner, A. O. Mining and Quarrying Trends in the Metals and Industrial Minerals Industries. BuMines Minerals Yearbook 1986, v. 1, pp. 7-45. 11. Roe, L. A., and R H. Olson. Talc. Ch. in Industrial Minerals and Rocks, ed. by J. Lefond. Port City Press, v. 2, 5th ed., 1983, pp. 1275-1301. 12. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Anatomy of a Mine From Prospect to Production. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-35, revised July 1983, 69 pp. 13. Industrial Minerals (London). French Talc. No. 218, Nov. 1985, p. 89. 14. Bentzen III, E. H. Talc or Soapstone? AIME preprint 73-H-8, 1973, 17 pp. 15. Robbins, J. UK Cosmetics Make-Up Minerals. Ind. Miner. (London), No. 216, Sept. 1985, pp. 75-79. 16. Key, W. W. Mineral Fillers for the California Pesticide Industry. BuMines IC 8260, 1965, 39 pp. 17. Harris, T S., and M. Whyte. Extender and Filler Minerals in Europe and North America - Opportunities in Contrasting Markets. Paper in Proceedings of Seventh "Industrial Minerals" International Congress (Monte Carlo, Monaco, Apr. 1-4, 1986). Met. Bull. (London), 1986, pp. 23-34. 18. Toon, S. Minerals for Paint. Ind. Miner. (London), No. 219, Dec. 1985, pp. 49-75. 19. Clark, D. A. Minerals in Paper - the Quiet Revolution. Paper in Proceedings of Seventh "Industrial Minerals" International Congress (Monte Carlo, Monaco, Apr. 1-4, 1986). Met. Bull. (London), 1986, pp. 37-46. 20. Clifton, R. Mineral Fillers Used in the Plastic Industry. Soc. Min. Eng. AIME preprint 85-62, 1985, 36 pp. 21. Haskin, R. W., and C. Eckert. Minerals in Plastics - Meeting the Challenge of the Future. Ind. Miner. (London), No. 234, Mar. 1987, pp. 54-59. 22. Dickson, T U.S. Plastics - a Growing Mineral Market. Ind. Miner. (London), No. 233, Feb. 1987, pp. 50-57. 23. U.S. Bureau of Mines. Minerals Yearbook 1986, v. 3, 1135 pp. 24. Grexa, R W., and C. J. Parmentier. Cosmetic Talc Properties and Specifications. Pres. at Soc. Cosmetic Chemists, New York, Dec. 2, 1977, 18 pp; available from R. W. Grexa, Cyprus Industrial Minerals Co., Engelwood, CO. 25. American Society for Testing and Materials. Standard Specifications for Magnesium Silicate Pigment (Talc). D605-82 in 1984 Annual Book of ASTM Standards: Section 6, Paints, Related Coatings, and Aromatics. Philadelphia, PA, 1984, pp. 164-165. 26. U.S. Bureau of Mines. Minerals Yearbooks 1977-87. Chapter on Talc and Pyrophyllite. 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