Opaline Silica Thread

[cyclopath]

@J12

i’ll try vacuuming the silica with some heat and see if it makes a difference?

if you’ve got a 1" or 2" x 24" or better spool laying around, and are willing to bake that sample out under vacuum, you will at least have given this particular magic dirt your best shot. the recirculation pump was not my favorite part of this particular trick.

here’s @Photon_noir extolling the virtues of drying first. again.

@Photon_noir

The way the materials (all of them) are prepared, by both the mine and the operator, makes a difference, too… granulated white RVM (regular volatile material) opaline silica and same granulated LVM (low volatile material) anaerobic low temperature calcined montmorillonite (gray not red, high temp aerobic LVM bentonite) are comparable, but the white opaline silica works best. Both should be oven dried in layers no more than 2 or 3 inches thick at over 300°F, preferably under vacuum. Just make sure to use a scroll or diaphragm pump (LOTS of water comes out) and filter the line of dust by wrapping the pans in 100% cotton pillowcases if you use vacuum!

I’ve posted pictures of the $15k vacuum pump that died sucking on this (and other grit)…when @Photon_noir suggests protecting the pump with a filter of some flavor, he’s not kidding around.