Patents Assigned to Unimin Corporation
  • Patent number: 9446377
    Abstract: A continuous reactor vessel for a rotary reactor having a first disk and a second disk separating three zones wherein the first disk includes a material feed opening spaced from its peripheral edge by an inlet peripheral spacing and configured to receive a material inlet tube, the second disk including an axial extension spaced from the second peripheral edge having at least one axially extending side wall and an end cap with at least one reaction zone discharge opening in the extension. The at least one opening allowing for a continuous and controlled reactor discharge rate of the associated granular product from the reaction zone into the discharge zone, the discharge opening being spaced from the second peripheral edge by an outlet peripheral spacing such that the peripheral spacings define a controlled depth of a dead bed accumulation of the associated granular product in the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Michael McKinney, Shane McMahan, Cameron McQueen
  • Patent number: 9266115
    Abstract: An ultra-fine powder formed from a naturally occurring mineral or rock material and having a controlled or “engineered” particle size distribution (PSD) to match the infrared spectra with a maximum particle size in the range of 14-17 microns measured as either D99, or preferably D95, and a minimum particle size D5 in the range of 4-7 microns. Preferably the maximum particle size is about 15 microns, the minimum particle size is about 5 microns and the D50 particle size is about 8-10 microns with the moisture content of the particle size “engineered” powder being less than about 0.20 percent by weight and preferably about 0.05 to 0.08 percent by weight of the powder. This specially “engineered” ultra-fine powder is used to reduce the thermicity of thermal film to a value less than about 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: David D Kragten, Christy Karr, Scott Van Remortel, Robert Ratcliff, Ibezim Anazia, Louis M. Schlesinger
  • Patent number: 9085671
    Abstract: A simulated wood product such as decking, fencing and architectural trim of the type heretofore made from a plastic with a natural wood powder as filler, wherein at least most, if not all, of the wood powder is replaced by a powder formed from a hard naturally occurring mineral, such as nepheline syenite or feldspar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Scott Van Remortel
  • Patent number: 9034096
    Abstract: An ultra-fine nepheline syenite powder produced from a pre-processed nepheline syenite powder feedstock. The powder having a “controlled” maximum grain size D95 or D99 of less than about 20 microns and a “controlled” minimum grain size D5 in the range of 2-8 microns with a particle size spread D5-D95 of less than about 12 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Scott VanRemortel, Robert Ratcliff, Ibezim Anazia, Louis M. Schlesinger
  • Patent number: 8864900
    Abstract: A useable particulate nepheline syenite having a grain size to provide an Einlehner Abrasive Value of less than about 100 is described. The particulate nepheline syenite is generally free from agglomeration and moisture free. At least 99% of the nepheline syenite particles have a size less than 10 microns. In practice, the nepheline syenite grain size is less than about 5 microns and the distribution profile of the particulate system is generally 4-5 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry William Janik, Scott Van Remortel
  • Patent number: 8858699
    Abstract: Nepheline syenite powder with a controlled particle size where 99.9% of the particles are less than 6 microns, which powder has a moisture content of less than 0.8% and an Einlehner Abrasive Value of less than 100 and products using this fine grain ultra fine nepheline syenite powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Van Remortel, Frank Cangelosi, Jerry William Janik
  • Patent number: 8795427
    Abstract: An ultra-fine powder formed from a naturally occurring mineral or rock material and having a controlled or “engineered” particle size distribution (PSD) to match the infrared spectra with a maximum particle size in the range of 14-17 microns measured as either D99, or preferably D95, and a minimum particle size D5 in the range of 4-7 microns. Preferably the maximum particle size is about 15 microns, the minimum particle size is about 5 microns and the D50 particle size is about 8-10 microns with the moisture content of the particle size “engineered” powder being less than about 0.20 percent by weight and preferably about 0.05 to 0.08 percent by weight of the powder. This specially “engineered” ultra-fine powder is used to reduce the thermicity of thermal film to a value less than about 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: David D. Kragten, Christy Karr, Scott Van Remortel, Robert Ratcliff, Ibezim Anazia, Louis M. Schlesinger
  • Publication number: 20130253098
    Abstract: A simulated wood product such as decking, fencing and architectural trim of the type heretofore made from a plastic with a natural wood powder as filler, wherein at least most, if not all, of the wood powder is replaced by a powder formed from a hard naturally occurring mineral, such as nepheline syenite or feldspar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Scott Van Remortel
  • Patent number: 8464969
    Abstract: A method of making frac sand having a selected grade from a naturally occurring, mined sand having a SiO2 content of at least about 80 percent and having a particle size range where the maximum particle size is less than about 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventor: Mark J. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 8304360
    Abstract: A blend of ball clays for use as the ball clay component of a slip to produce a ceramic sanitary ware item by a slip casting process. The clay blend including 20-50 percent of a fine-grained ball clay with a low carbon content and 45-55 percent of its particles having a size less than 0.5 microns and about 85-95 percent of the particles less than about 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Victor Manuel Palacios Villanueva, Garry F. Webb
  • Publication number: 20120263954
    Abstract: An ultra-fine inorganic powder for use as a filler and formed from a hard, naturally occurring mined material, in particular nepheline syenite, where the powder has a targeted controlled maximum particle size of less than 5 microns and a generally uncontrolled minimum particle size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott Van Remortel, Robert Ratcliff, Ibezim Anazia, Louis M. Schlesinger
  • Patent number: 8235313
    Abstract: A method of making frac sand having a selected grade from a naturally occurring, mined sand having a SiO2 content of at least about 80 percent and having a particle size range where the maximum particle size is less than about 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventor: Mark J. Ziegler
  • Publication number: 20120171491
    Abstract: An ultra-fine powder formed from a naturally occurring mineral or rock material and having a controlled or “engineered” particle size distribution (PSD) to match the infrared spectra with a maximum particle size in the range of 14-17 microns measured as either D99, or preferably D95, and a minimum particle size D5 in the range of 4-7 microns. Preferably the maximum particle size is about 15 microns, the minimum particle size is about 5 microns and the D50 particle size is about 8-10 microns with the moisture content of the particle size “engineered” powder being less than about 0.20 percent by weight and preferably about 0.05 to 0.08 percent by weight of the powder. This specially “engineered” ultra-fine powder is used to reduce the thermicity of thermal film to a value less than about 20%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: David D. Kragten, Christy Karr, JR., Scott VanRemortel, Robert Ratcliff, Ibezim Anazia, Louis M. Schlesinger
  • Patent number: 8182601
    Abstract: An ultra-fine powder formed from a naturally occurring mineral or rock material and having a controlled or “engineered” particle size distribution (PSD) to match the infrared spectra with a maximum particle size in the range of 14-17 microns measured as either D99, or preferably D95, and a minimum particle size D5 in the range of 4-7 microns. Preferably the maximum particle size is about 15 microns, the minimum particle size is about 5 microns and the D50 particle size is about 8-10 microns with the moisture content of the particle size “engineered” powder being less than about 0.20 percent by weight and preferably about 0.05 to 0.08 percent by weight of the powder. This specially “engineered” ultra-fine powder is used to reduce the thermicity of thermal film to a value less than about 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: David D. Kragten, Christy Karr, Jr., Scott VanRemortel, Robert Ratcliff, Ibezim Anazia, Louis M. Schlesinger
  • Patent number: 8097078
    Abstract: An improvement in a mixture for forming into a body that is to be fired into a “whiteware ceramic product” wherein the mixture is a compound of clay and other minerals with a ferric oxide content of less than about 5.0% by weight of the dry mixture. The improvement includes adding to the mixture a binder in the form of a combination of protein and a vegetable flour with an equivalent gram strength of at least 30 grams and a protein content of 20-50% of the binder, where the binder is in the range of 0.05% to 0.50% by weight of the dry mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventor: Clayton Collins
  • Patent number: 8070080
    Abstract: The method of converting nepheline syenite particulate feedstock with a grain size profile to an ultra-fine grain finish product for subsequent commercial use, the ultra-fine grain final product has a maximum grain size of less than about 6 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Louis M. Schlesinger, Mauricio Duran Sanchez, Gerardo Hernandez Gonzalez, Artemio Gonzalez Acevedo
  • Publication number: 20110290917
    Abstract: A method of making frac sand having a selected grade from a naturally occurring, mined sand having a SiO2 content of at least about 80 percent and having a particle size range where the maximum particle size is less than about 8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark J. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 8022019
    Abstract: Method and system for making a spherical proppant having a selected grade from a naturally occurring mined mineral having a hardness of over 6.0 Mohs. The method and system involves preprocessing the mineral mechanically into a semi-dry feedstock comprising a mass of particles with initial sphericity values generally less than 0.60; subjecting the semi-dry feedstock to an aggressive abrasive attrition operation for a process time; and, controlling the process time to a value wherein the particles of the feedstock are converted to final processed particles having a sphericity greater than 0.60 by increasing the sphericity of the feedstock particles by at least 0.10. In addition, the processed particles are screened to obtain a proppant having a selected grade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: David John Rush, Juan Leal Gonzalez
  • Publication number: 20110163192
    Abstract: The method of converting nepheline syenite particulate feedstock with a grain size profile to an ultra-fine grain finish product for subsequent commercial use, the ultra-fine grain final product has a maximum grain size of less than about 6 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louis M. Schlesinger, Mauricio Duran Sanchez, Gerardo Hernandez Gonzalez, Artemio Gonzalez Acevedo
  • Publication number: 20110165421
    Abstract: The method of converting nepheline syenite particulate feedstock with a grain size profile to an ultra-fine grain finish product for subsequent commercial use, the ultra-fine grain final product has a maximum grain size of less than about 6 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: UNIMIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louis M. Schlesinger, Mauricio Duran Sanchez, Gerardo Hernandez Gonzalez, Artemio Gonzalez Acevedo