How is it Produced? Construction Use Advantages/Disadvantages Sustainable Alternatives 2904ENV – ASSIGNMENT 1 Material: Vermiculite JAMES CARR S2794462

How is it Produced? Construction Use Advantages/Disadvantages Sustainable Advantages How is it Produced?   Vermiculite is mined and refined using a variety of techniques and is supplied commercially in a range of particle size grades. The mineral is found in many parts of the world but is limited to a number of sources that are worked as commercial mines (The Vermiculite Association, 2012). The predominant commercial vermiculite mines are in Australia, Brazil, China, Kenya, South Africa, USA and Zimbabwe. The largest operating mines today are located in the North-Eastern Transvaal area in South Africa (The Vermiculite Association, 2012). Vermiculite is mostly used in its exfoliated (expanded) form that is made by heating it to a temperature of 850°C. Good quality vermiculite will expand at least ten times its original size (Mineral Zone, 2005). Figure 1: Comparing Exfoliated and Unexfoliated Vermiculite

How is it Produced? Construction Use Advantages/Disadvantages Sustainable Alternatives Construction use Exfoliated Vermiculite is well established as an excellent thermal insulating material capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 1000°C (The Vermiculite Institute, 2007). Exfoliated vermiculite is used as agglomerate in insulating mortar and light concrete, insulation in chamber filling, heat resistant bricks, light insulation, prefabricated elements, acoustic and thermal insulating plaster, structure protection against fire, insulation of industrial furnaces, in agriculture and horticulture (The Vermiculite Association, 2012). Unexpanded vermiculite is used as dilator plasticizer in fire-resistant wall panels and crushed vermiculite as a paint extender on aluminum bases (The Vermiculite Association, 2012). It is however most commonly used as an insulator, this is due to it having properties that significantly reduce the loss of heat in cold weather and keep the interior cool in hot weather. The ability for it to be easy installed in areas that are hard to reach also adds to its appeal as an insulator (Lascano, 2011).

How is it Produced? Construction Use Advantages/Disadvantages Sustainable Alternatives Sustainability Advantages   Sound absorbent, negates the need to use additional materials for sound proofing (Lascano, 2011) Resistant to decay thus has a long lifespan (Lascano, 2011) Does not give off toxic or harmful substances (Marc, 2006) Easy to install as an insulator (Lascano, 2011) Versatile in its uses (The Vermiculite Association, 2012)   Sustainability Disadvantages   Moderate embodied energy – 230 kWh/m3 (Save Your Energy, 2012) Due to limited extraction sites spread across the world (Marc, 2006) Transportation over long distances (Marc, 2006) The process of expanding vermiculite uses extremely high temperatures which uses a lot of energy (Save Your Energy, 2012) Finite resource, it is however plentiful (Mineral Zone, 2005) Limitations and Other Considerations   Some vermiculite sourced from America, Montana between 1920 and 1990 contained asbestos fibers in it causing serious consequences in human health including death, there however has been no evidence of asbestos in any other deposits from which it is sourced (Marc, 2006)

How is it Produced? Construction Use Advantages/Disadvantages Sustainable Alternatives References Sustainable Alternatives   Natural wool insulation generally made from a blend of natural wool and polyester – 30 kWh/m3 (Lascano, 2011) Cellulose insulation generally made from pulverised recycled paper. Manufactures add fire retardant which is a mix of borax and boric acid to meet the highest Australian standards – 130 kWh/m3 (Lascano, 2011)

How is it Produced? Construction Use Advantages/Disadvantages Sustainable Alternatives Bibliography   Funnel Web Marketing. (2012). Natural Wool Insulation. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Insulation Installers and Insulation Products: http://australian-government-insulation-rebates.com/Products/natural-wool-insulation.html Lascano, M. E. (2011). Sustainable Finishes; Insulating Materials. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from BiblioCAD: http://www.bibliocad.com/blog/terminaciones-sustentables-materiales-aislantes?lang=en Marc. (2006). Public Health Crisis: Vermiculite Insulation. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Home-Air-Purifier-Expert: http://www.home-air-purifier-expert.com/vermiculite-insulation.html Mineral Zone. (2005). Vermiculite. Retrieved March 26, 2012, from Mineral Zone: http://www.mineralszone.com/minerals/vermiculite.html Save Your Energy. (2012). Choosing between insulation materials. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Save Your Energy: http://www.staffordarea.saveyourenergy.org.uk/what/insulation/insulationMaterials The Vermiculite Association. (2012). Vermiculite. Retrieved April` 1, 2012, from The Vermiculite Association: http://www.vermiculite.org/Vermiculite.php The Vermiculite Institute. (2007). Vermiculite; Naturally Occuring, Safe and Plentiful. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Vermiculite: http://www.vermiculite.net/   Image Sources:   Figure 1: Marc. (2006). Public Health Crisis: Vermiculite Insulation. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Home-Air-Purifier-Expert: http://www.home-air-purifier-expert.com/vermiculite-insulation.html