According to Industrial Minerals Corp., it's the ”round, narrow particle size” of its new sand product will achieve high-quality finishes on large ferrous castings, reducing cleaning costs.
INDUSTRIAL MINERALS CORP. LTD. is making the official launch this week of its chromite sand product for metalcasting, SpheriChrome™ — a name chosen to emphasize its spherical shape and “uniform grain sizing.” The sand is mined at the 2,600-acre Southern Oregon Mineral Sands Project near Coos Bay, OR, by Industrial Minerals’ subsidiary Oregon Resources Corp. In North America, it is available exclusively through
HA International.
SpheriChrome is the only chromite foundry sand mined and processed in the United States.
Targeted to foundries producing large ferrous castings, IMC explained that SpheriChrome is different from conventional sub-angular chromite because of its round shape and finer grain size. Among the advantages it achieves are high bonded-sand strength and lower binder costs. SpheriChrome is also an effective zircon substitute, IMC stated.
In addition, Industrial Minerals indicated SpheriChrome packs tightly, resulting in a smoother cast finish, and reducing finishing and cleaning costs. Potentially, the supplier said, foundries may reduce the need for resin to bind sand, which would cut the potential for toxic emissions.
"We look forward to the official launch of SpheriCrome and the opportunity to provide foundries throughout the world with this unique mineral product," stated IMC CEO Philip Garratt. "Strong interest has been shown by national and international customers because of the qualities found in SpheriChrome, and we are expecting to begin volume shipments in the very near future."