Perlite in Industry
Perlite is a versatile and sustainable mineral that is mined and processed with a negligible impact on the environment. The green community recognizes perlite-enhanced products as a high-performance solution drawn from a natural material of nearly unlimited supply throughout the world.
When perlite ore is expanded by exposure to rapid, controlled heating, it grows up to 20 times its original volume and takes on a foam-like cellular internal structure — essentially clusters of microscopic glass bubbles. (For a detailed explanation of perlite expansion, see: Why Perlite Works).
Over half of all the perlite expanded in the United States annually is used to make “formed products.” These products include ceiling tiles, pipe insulation, roofing board and fire-rated door cores, and are manufactured with a variety of binders.
Pelite can safely be used over a wide range of temperatures. Being lightweight, non-combustable, and insulating, perlite has been found to be useful in a wide variety of industrial applications, e.g., refractory brick, high temperature insulation, molten metal topping, cryogenic insulation, filtration, and lightweight fillers.