Forces within the barrel - negatively charged clays
Nov 9, 2019 5:10:56 GMT -5
RickB, 1dave, and 2 more like this
Post by jamesp on Nov 9, 2019 5:10:56 GMT -5
"The Fast Grind"
Nurd talk.
This is a complicated subject and beyond me but deserves looking at.
I knew there was some kind of electrical charges in clay but never understood what effect they have on rock tumbling.
I may have found answers as to why it would benefit rotary rock tumbling.
And it appears that those that re-use slurry may want to consider using fresh clays instead.
I know this much:
Because most clay is negatively charged it attracts many types of molecules and suspends them in liquids. Bentonite and kaolin are examples.
Aluminum based clays like kaolin/bentonite is negatively charged due to it's high aluminum content and is mined all over the world because they are efficient at suspending particles in slurries in paints, make up products, abrasive suspensions, mining applications, inks, etc.
Most clays will work in a rotary tumbler to help suspend rock and abrasive particles.
Adding fresh clay during coarse grind clean outs renews the negatively charged clay particles.
In my case I add about one to two cups of clay depending on rock size and water volume in a 12 pound barrel to get desired thickness for every weekly clean out during coarse grind.
Dosing depends greatly on the purity of a given clay, such as sand content.
In my case common kaolin based backyard clay does a good job.
I average 5 to 10 clean outs for a coarse grind and use 5 to 10 cups of(my) clay total during a 12 pound coarse grind. 8 cups is 2 quarts, a lot of clay.
Here is an article describing the behavior of negatively charged clay as it relates to soils.
Keep in mind coarse grind is essentially making inorganic soil by fine grinding various silica based and other rocks.
Clay is non-polluting.
nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/factsheets/factsheet22.pdf
And what exactly is clay ?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_minerals
This product is used in waste water to intentionally separate particles in water by weighing the particles down with clay particles and forcing them to sink for separation from water.
The exact opposite of tumbling.
slurrysolutions.com/slurrysep-1
Other benefits of a clay slurry is the lubricating value, protective padding effect, and a clay's ability to suck rocks together as they rotate for increasing grinding forces.
There is not many substances slicker yet stickier than bentonite and kaolin.
Nurd talk.
This is a complicated subject and beyond me but deserves looking at.
I knew there was some kind of electrical charges in clay but never understood what effect they have on rock tumbling.
I may have found answers as to why it would benefit rotary rock tumbling.
And it appears that those that re-use slurry may want to consider using fresh clays instead.
I know this much:
Because most clay is negatively charged it attracts many types of molecules and suspends them in liquids. Bentonite and kaolin are examples.
Aluminum based clays like kaolin/bentonite is negatively charged due to it's high aluminum content and is mined all over the world because they are efficient at suspending particles in slurries in paints, make up products, abrasive suspensions, mining applications, inks, etc.
Most clays will work in a rotary tumbler to help suspend rock and abrasive particles.
Adding fresh clay during coarse grind clean outs renews the negatively charged clay particles.
In my case I add about one to two cups of clay depending on rock size and water volume in a 12 pound barrel to get desired thickness for every weekly clean out during coarse grind.
Dosing depends greatly on the purity of a given clay, such as sand content.
In my case common kaolin based backyard clay does a good job.
I average 5 to 10 clean outs for a coarse grind and use 5 to 10 cups of(my) clay total during a 12 pound coarse grind. 8 cups is 2 quarts, a lot of clay.
Here is an article describing the behavior of negatively charged clay as it relates to soils.
Keep in mind coarse grind is essentially making inorganic soil by fine grinding various silica based and other rocks.
Clay is non-polluting.
nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/factsheets/factsheet22.pdf
And what exactly is clay ?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_minerals
This product is used in waste water to intentionally separate particles in water by weighing the particles down with clay particles and forcing them to sink for separation from water.
The exact opposite of tumbling.
slurrysolutions.com/slurrysep-1
Other benefits of a clay slurry is the lubricating value, protective padding effect, and a clay's ability to suck rocks together as they rotate for increasing grinding forces.
There is not many substances slicker yet stickier than bentonite and kaolin.