Mineral Slurries
Mineral Slurries
Onnovo’s antimicrobial solutions for mineral slurries include BIT, CMIT/MIT, DBNPA, and stabilized blends designed to combat microbial contamination and enhance slurry stability. Understanding your slurry system’s specific microbial control requirements allows us to deliver the RIGHT CHEMISTRY.
Understanding Mineral Slurries & Their Microbial Challenges
Mineral slurries are widely used in mining, construction, ceramics, and industrial material processing, where finely ground minerals are suspended in water-based or oil-based mediums. While essential for material transportation, processing, and formulation stability, slurries are highly prone to microbial contamination that can cause spoilage, viscosity shifts, and product instability.
Key Microbial Challenges in Mineral Slurries
- Bacterial & Fungal Growth in Aqueous Slurries – Water-based suspensions create an ideal environment for microbial contamination, leading to odor formation, viscosity loss, and biofilm buildup.
- Biodegradation of Organic Additives – Dispersants, surfactants, and stabilizers used in slurries can serve as nutrient sources for bacteria, causing emulsion breakdown and sedimentation issues.
- pH & Rheology Instability – Microbial activity can alter pH balance, leading to coagulation, thickening, or phase separation of the slurry.
- Pipeline & Storage Contamination – Microbial-induced biofilms and corrosion affect pumps, pipelines, and storage tanks, reducing efficiency and increasing maintenance costs.
- Regulatory & Compliance Risks – Many industries require biostable slurries to meet safety and environmental regulations, ensuring extended storage life and consistent performance.
Types of Mineral Slurries & Their Preservation Needs
Mineral slurries are used across various industries, requiring tailored microbial control strategies for stability, performance, and longevity.
| Slurry Type | Common Applications | Microbial Risks & Required Protection |
|---|---|---|
| Mining Slurries | Ore transport, mineral extraction, tailings management | Bacterial-induced viscosity loss, biofilm buildup in pipelines |
| Cement & Concrete Slurries | Ready-mix concrete, grouting, shotcrete | Fungal contamination, reduced workability, sedimentation |
| Ceramic & Kaolin Slurries | Tile production, sanitaryware, paper coatings | Microbial-induced rheology instability, odor formation |
| Calcium Carbonate & Industrial Fillers | Paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants | Biodegradation of dispersants, pH shifts, emulsion breakdown |
| Drilling Fluids & Bentonite Slurries | Oil & gas exploration, borehole stabilization | Bacterial contamination causing filtration issues, clay swelling |
Risks of Microbial Contamination in Mineral Slurries
Without proper antimicrobial solutions, mineral slurries can suffer from:
- Product Spoilage & Viscosity Loss – Microbial contamination degrades the slurry’s structure, leading to thickening, phase separation, and reduced flowability.
- Sedimentation & Processing Inefficiencies – Bacterial breakdown of dispersants and stabilizers leads to poor dispersion and inconsistent material quality.
- Odor Formation & Biofilm Growth – Uncontrolled microbial activity results in unpleasant odors and contamination in storage tanks and pipelines.
- Pipeline Fouling & Corrosion – Biofilms and microbial activity contribute to clogging, corrosion, and equipment wear.
- Regulatory & Compliance Failures – Many industrial standards require microbiologically stable formulations, and contaminated slurries risk rejection in high-spec applications.
Microbial Challenges in Different Mineral Processing Environments
Slurries are used in varied industrial conditions, each with unique microbial threats.
Mining & Mineral Processing
Primary Risks:
- Water-based ore slurries are prone to bacterial contamination, affecting pumping efficiency and material recovery.
- Storage tanks & tailings ponds face biofilm buildup, increasing maintenance costs.
Onnovo’s Solution:
- Broad-spectrum biocides for long-term slurry stability.
- Biofilm-resistant additives for pipeline and tailings system maintenance.
Cement, Concrete & Construction Materials
Primary Risks:
- Bacteria & fungi degrade cement slurry formulations, reducing curing efficiency and increasing porosity in hardened materials.
- Microbial contamination in ready-mix plants can lead to workability issues.
Onnovo’s Solution:
- Mold inhibitors & pH stabilizers for concrete and grout slurries.
- Odor-control antimicrobial additives to prevent contamination in high-humidity conditions.
Ceramics & Coatings
Primary Risks:
- Kaolin, clay, and ceramic slurries contain organic dispersants that can degrade due to bacterial activity, causing viscosity changes and production defects.
- Fungal growth in storage tanks affects batch-to-batch consistency.
Onnovo’s Solution:
- Antifungal biocides for long-term storage stability.
- pH buffers & dispersant stabilizers to maintain rheology control.
Oil & Gas Drilling Fluids
Primary Risks:
- Bacterial contamination in bentonite-based drilling muds leads to clogging, fluid thickening, and equipment fouling.
- Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) cause pipeline corrosion and H₂S gas formation.
Onnovo’s Solution:
- Biostable additives for drilling muds to maintain fluid integrity in extreme conditions.
- SRB inhibitors to prevent pipeline corrosion and H₂S production risks.
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Onnovo’s Services & Support for Mineral Slurry Manufacturers
Onnovo provides tailored antimicrobial solutions for slurry manufacturers and mineral processing companies, ensuring stability, regulatory compliance, and long-term performance.
Onnovo ensures compliance with global slurry preservation regulations, including:
- EPA (US) – Industrial biocide safety for water-based formulations
- BPR (EU) – Biocidal Product Regulation for industrial fluids
- ISO 22241 – Stability testing for slurry-based materials
- ANVISA (Brazil) & Asian mineral processing standards
Onnovo collaborates with manufacturers to:
- Develop preservative blends for water-based and oil-based slurries.
- Enhance dispersant and stabilizer performance against microbial degradation.
- Improve storage stability for long-term slurry applications.
Our advanced laboratory facilities provide:
- Microbial contamination detection & root cause analysis.
- Long-term stability testing for biocide-treated slurries.
- Optimization of antimicrobial solutions for specific mineral processing needs.
Onnovo supports environmentally responsible mineral processing, offering:
- Low-toxicity, biodegradable antimicrobial solutions.
- Preservative systems that comply with green building and industrial sustainability standards.
Our R&D experts assist in:
- Formulation troubleshooting for microbial contamination issues.
- Developing next-generation antimicrobial solutions for slurries.
- Process optimization for enhanced slurry flow properties.
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