Crystalline Silica (CS) is now classified as a carcinogenic. Alternatives for CS have been few and often hard to source—until now. Hess Pumice produces a Non-Crystalline Silica (NCS) with all the beneficial features of CS without the health risks. Our product is an Amorphous Aluminum Silicate, including nearly 80% SiO2. Hess Pumice provides seven Non-Crystalline Silica products developed specifically as functional fillers for the paint/coatings and rubber/plastics industries. Our amorphous aluminum silicate products are non-hazardous (crystalline silica free - to the detectable limit of .05%), inert, near white, pH of 7.2, with unit weights (loose) ranging from approximately 1.6 kg/gallon for the finer grades up to approximately 3 kg/gallon for the coarser grades. Our NCS products provide outstanding scrub, burnish, and stain resistance properties due to the hardness of the particles (5.8 Mohs hardness).

1. Hess Pumice NCS
EXTENDER and FILLER
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2. Who Are We?
‣Located in Southeastern Idaho
‣Largest Producer of Refined
Pumice on the Planet
‣Worldwide Logistical Experts
‣Offices in U.S., Europe, Asia
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3. Hess Pumice Products
manufactures a line of
micronized, non-hazardous
amorphous silica products
as functional fillers and
extenders for paints, coatings,
rubber, and plastics.
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4. Hess Pumice Mine in Southeast Idaho, USA
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5. Hess Pumice Plants where NCS
products are refined and packaged.
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6. Micrograph: Crushed Pumice
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7. Non-Crystalline Silica
(NCS) Functional Fillers
‣ Crystalline silica (CS) is now classified as a carcinogenic.
‣ Alternatives for CS have been few and often hard to source—until now.
Hess Pumice produces a Non-Crystalline Silica (NCS) with all the
beneficial features of CS without the health risks. Our product is an
Amorphous Aluminum Silicate, including nearly 80% SiO2
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8. Replacing
Crystalline Silica
‣ Our NCS products have a lower density and must replace CS—
or any other filler—on a volume basis, rather than by weight. This results
in higher bulking values and higher yields per pound of NCS product verses
CS product.
‣ Gloss and sheen control with NCS is, in general, equal to and usually better
than CS products. Hiding power can also be improved using NCS products.
Additionally, NCS products work well as a replacement for Zeospheres
in coatings.
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9. Our Microfine (NCS)
Pumice Products
‣ Seven Non-Crystalline Silica products were developed specifically as functional
fillers for the paint/coatings and rubber/plastics industries. Grades: NCS-3,
NCS-5, NCS-8, NCS-10, NCS-12, NCS-15, and NCS-20 (with the numbers
indicating the average particle size in micron).
‣ Non-hazardous (crystalline silica free - to the detectable limit of .05%), inert,
near white, pH of 7.2, with unit weights (loose) ranging from approximately 1.6
kg/gallon for the finer grades up to approximately 3 kg/gallon for the coarser
grades.
‣ Provide outstanding scrub, burnish, and stain resistance
properties due to the hardness of the
particles (5.8 Mohs hardness).
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11. WHITENESS:
The draw-downs measured were produced by Southern Exposures using the exact same paint
formulas with the only variable being the pigment used (same volume of each pigment in each
formula), in this case NCS-12, NCS-15, and Minex 4.
DRAWDOWN #1 MINEX HESS NCS-15 DELTA
Berger Whiteness 84.11 83.50 -0.61
CIE Whiteness 83.67 82.93 -0.74
ASTM E313 (Yellowness) 1.68 1.33 -0.35
DRAWDOWN #2 MINEX HESS NCS-12 DELTA
Berger Whiteness 83.07 83.13 0.05
CIE Whiteness 82.61 82.57 -0.03
ASTM E313 (Yellowness) 1.80 1.55 -0.25
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12. SCRUB RESISTANCE (ASTM D-523):
Based on Southern Exposures data, scrubs on the 4 pigments tested are as follows:
PIGMENT NUMBER OF CYCLES (HIGHER IS BETTER)
Minex 1021
Hess NCS-12 1097
Hess NCS-15 1126
Sil-Co-Sil 989
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13. HEGMAN FINENESS OF GRIND (ASTM D-1210)
Minex 4 5
Hess NCS-12 5
Hess NCS-15 5
BURNISH % INCREASE
Minex 4 61
Hess NCS-12 60
Hess NCS-15 59
POROSITY* REFLECTANCE RETAINED
Minex 4 99.91
Hess NCS-12 100
Hess NCS-15 99.97
*Stain Resistance
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14. OIL ABSORPTION (ASTM D-281-95):
As measured by Southern Exposures, July 2007.
PIGMENT IDENTIFICATION DATE RECEIVED PUBLISHED VALUE DETERMINED VALUE
Sil-Co-Sil 45 6-16-2005 25.0 22.0
Minex 4 7-7-2007 29.0 23.0
Hess NCS-12 5-22-2007 30.0 30.8
Hess NCS-15 5-29-2007 30.0 30.5
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17. Crystalline Silica
WORKPLACE SAFETY and HEALTH ISSUES
‣ Crystalline Silica (respirable) has been identified by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a “Group 1” carcinogen.
OSHA therefore requires all products containing more than 0.1%
crystalline silica to be labeled as a cancer hazard.
‣ Crystalline Silica is the principal cause of the silicosis and related lung
diseases and is responsible for approximately 300 deaths in the US
each year.
‣ Respirable Crystalline Silica is federally regulated by the EPA,
FDA, & OSHA. NIOSH also considers
crystalline silica to be a carcinogen.
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18. HESS-07 Minex 4 BLUE 8.75 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.88 8.88 10.00 8.75
HESS-07 Minex 4 WHITE 7.28 10.00 10.00 10.00 7.88 6.88 7.38
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE: 8.07 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.38 7.88 8.69 8.75
PAINT# EXTENDER COLOR GenApp Chalking Cracking Flaking Dirt Mildew Darkening Fading
HESS-08 SafSil CT-200 BLUE 8.88 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.88 8.75 9.50 10.00
HESS-08 SafSil CT-200 WHITE 7.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 7.38 6.63 7.25
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE: 7.94 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.13 7.69 8.38 10.00
HESS-09 Hess NCS-8 BLUE 8.63 9.88 10.00 10.00 9.13 9.00 9.75 9.50
HESS-09 Hess NCS-8 WHITE 7.25 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.25 7.25 7.88
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE: 7.94 9.94 10.00 10.00 8.69 8.13 8.82 9.50
HESS-10 Hess NCS-10 BLUE 9.13 10.00 10.00 10.00 9.13 8.88 9.50 9.75
HESS-10 Hess NCS-10 WHITE 7.25 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.13 7.00 7.38
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE: 8.18 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.63 7.94 8.44 9.75
HESS-11 Hess NCS-12 BLUE 9.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 9.13 8.88 9.88 10.00
HESS-11 Hess NCS-12 WHITE 7.50 10.00 10.00 10.00 7.25 7.25 7.75
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE: 8.25 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.19 8.07 8.82 10.00
HESS-12 Hess NCS-15 BLUE 9.25 10.00 10.00 10.00 9.00 8.75 10.00 10.00
HESS-12 Hess NCS-15 WHITE 7.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 7.50 7.00 7.75
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE:
GRAND AVERAGE: 8.13 10.00 10.00 10.00 8.25 7.88 8.88 10.00
Averaged 38 Months Exposure | 10 = Perfect • 0 = Failure
Exposure Tests
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23. Thank You!
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24. Hess Pumice Products, Inc.
Malad City Industrial Park
100 Hess Drive
Malad City, ID USA 83252
www.hesspumice.com
1-800-767-4701
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