Specialty Clays & Minerals
The Canadian lightweight aggregate supplier
Pumice
Pumice is an extremely light, highly porous extrusive volcanic rock, formed through the rapid cooling of air-pocketed lava. In fact, some pumice is so light that it can float on water. Although pumice is often light in color as well, depending on its mineral makeup, it can vary from white to pink to gray to black.
Kaolin Clay
Kaolin Clay Powder is a 100% pure and natural clay made up of the mineral Kaolinite. Also known as White Clay, can be used with water or any other natural ingredients and works efficiently to tackle most of the common skin related issues. Kaolin clay mask for pores helps in shrinking large and open pores, powerfully fights off blemishes and maintains skin elasticity.
Barite
Baryte, barite or barytes is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate. Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine, anglesite, and anhydrite.
Bentonite
Sodium Bentonite has high absorbency with clumping attributes while also being useful as both a soil and pond sealant. It is considered a safe, natural, nontoxic and inexpensive treatment for porous soils. Its swelling capacity gives Sodium Bentonite the ability to bond with soil and create an impenetrable barrier.
Perlite
Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content, typically formed by the hydration of obsidian. It occurs naturally and has the unusual property of greatly expanding when heated sufficiently.
Zeolite
Zeolites are widely used as catalysts and sorbents. Their well-defined pore formation and adaptable acidity make them highly active in a variety of reactions. Research and development of many biochemical and biomedical applications of zeolite, especially the naturally occurring species Hylandite, Clinoptilolite and Chabazite are ongoing.
Scoria
Scoria differs from pumice, another vesicular volcanic rock, in having larger vesicles and thicker vesicle walls, and hence is denser. The difference is probably the result of lower magma viscosity, allowing rapid volatile diffusion, bubble growth, coalescence, and bursting. It is typically dark in color (generally dark brown, black or purplish-red), and basaltic in composition.
Gypsum
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO₄·2H₂O. It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard/sidewalk chalk, and drywall.
Gilsonite
Gilsonite is a naturally occurring, solid, black, lightweight organic material that originates from the solidification of petroleum.
Attapulgite
Attapulgite is a magnesium aluminum silicate clay of very fine particle size. Unlike bentonite (or montmorillonite) attapulgite crystals are needle shaped (acicular) rather than flat or flake-like. Like bentonite they disperse well to thicken, suspend and gel suspensions without flocculation problems.
Industrial Mineral Products
These are used in their natural state as raw materials or they are transformed and utilized in a wide range of applications.
Aggrelite ™
AGGRELITE ™ is very effective when utilized in shallow utility applications.
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Marconite ™
Marconite is a synthetic material, specifically for use in earthing applications.
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Bentonite
Sodium Bentonite is utilized as a pond sealant due to its high swelling capacity
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Kaolin Calcined Clay
KAOLIN Clay is a white clay which has been subjected to very high temperatures.
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Frac Sand
Frac sand is an alluvial proppant which is utilized to fracture rock for the extraction of oil and gas
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Fluorspar
Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is the mineral form of calcium fluoride, CaF2
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Distinctive materials generating interest
Specialty Sands
We produce specialised materials for various applications including stabilised sand, bedding sand, road bases for civic pipe embedment projects.
Railway Ballast
Railway Ballast / Track Ballast forms the trackbed upon which railroad ties (sleepers) are laid.
Aggrelite Features
The attributes of this material are versatile and enhancing
About Us
Atrium Lightweight Materials Inc.
Atrium Lightweight Materials Inc is your nexus point between raw mineral materials and the facilitation of their use in industrial applications. It is the specific attributes of a mineral which determines how it can be utilized or blended sometimes with other minerals sourced from around the world. Many companies have inefficiencies or input requirements that require a unique mineral solution. Certain regions of the world have resources which can offer exceptional added value when utilized by a company in a different geographical context.
We began as a supplier of lightweight aggregates throughout Alberta and Western Canada. Due to the extreme frozen temperatures underground utilities needed to be placed 2 to 3 meters below the grade of the surface to stay below the frostline in winter. This is a considerable increase in cost relative to a standard shallow utility structure which is near the surface. Surrounding the pipe with an expanded shale, which has a lower thermal conductivity, frost protection is created to facilitate the implementation of shallow utilities that will no longer freeze during the winter. It also offers drainage of excess water around or near the pipe. We are the exclusive supplier of Aggrelite™ and Granulite™ lightweight expanded shale which is used in various geotechnical applications involving underground pipe insulation for shallow utility applications. These materials are also useful as a structural fill over poor soils & marshlands.
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The versatile utilization of clays & minerals
Internal Curing
Internal curing is the incremental improvement of concrete strength due to the gradual release of water from lightweight aggregate to the cement particles allowing for ongoing hydration and reduced cracking
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Stone Veneer
The quality of stone veneer is a function of the lightweight material utilized in its mix design. A quality engineered aggregate offers the porosity consistency required to meet specification requirements on an ongoing basis.
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Chip Seal
Aggrelite and granulite are durable and non corrosive. As a chip seal they offer a superior skid resistance while being immune to de-icing salt degradation. They also offer superior bonding with polymer and rubber modified liquid asphalt.
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Decorative Rock
Many minerals offer diverse industrial applications but some are simply very attractive when utilized as a simple landscaping material due to its texture and colour. Minerals can accent a yard design effectively once in place.
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Soil Resistivity
Marconite is an earthing solution for use in areas of poor soil conductivity or high resistivity. Soil resistivity is brought to extremely low levels which makes it most effective in electrical grounding applications.
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Shallow Utility Insulation
Low thermal conductivity of aggrelite facilitates the insulation of shallow utilities versus conventional rock which requires utilities to be placed deeper below the frost line at a significant cost due to increased time and labour required.
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Masonry
Lightweight aggregate utilized in masonry applications offer high sound absorption and fire resistance as well as insulative qualities. A salient consideration as well is the lighter weight and simultaneous higher strength.
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Frost Protection
A pipe buried underground in aggrelite will be protected from the effects of frost penetration. This is due to the thermal conductivity inherent in the material which is a small fraction relative to regular aggregate.
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Aquaponics
Expanded shale offers a pH neutral medium which can function as a growth media. The large porous surface area is utilized to nitrify bacteria for the feeding of plants. It can withstand ongoing water currents without decomposing.
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Geotechnical
Aggrelite as a geotechnical fill offers a high internal friction angle which reduces vertical and lateral forces by more than half. It is also free draining and weighs half as much as conventional aggregate therefore increasing its vesatility.
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