Opaline Silica Thread

Were you cooking the opaline powder in a baking oven?

I tried ordering a single pallet to split with a few others here, but after lots of back and forth with the company and terrible CS I got sidetracked. They couldn’t even get me over to a distributor, total shitshow.

I’ll get one coming last time I tried ordering one they said they didnt have any available atm

1 Like

Edit: just realized the moisture content is too high

Have any of you compared this product? It’s from their edible oil division.

http://www.selectadsorbents.com/downloads/select_ff.pdf

2 Likes

I don’t know if it’s similar, but it does seem like a good replacement for silica 60 in CRC. Perhaps superior.

2 Likes

Got the rvm, sorry didnt meant to reply to you I’m trying to show side by side pics to compare the medias

2 Likes

I think this opaline silica from Taft mine may actually be a deposit of a naturally occuring zeolite. These are the only minerals I can find with a Si/Al ratio anywhere near the 80:18 or 40:9 (4.4…) described in the Oil-Dri literature.
I have narrowed it down from this list:
https://asia.iza-structure.org/IZA-SC/search_chem.html
(Insert these data and submit for the list… a direct link cannot be made.)

As possibly a partially hydrated Na RHO type:
https://asia.iza-structure.org/IZA-SC/framework.php?STC=RHO

Maybe a K FER type:
https://asia.iza-structure.org/IZA-SC/framework.php?STC=FER

Or a partially dehydrated BOG type:
https://asia.iza-structure.org/IZA-SC/framework.php?STC=BOG

The first one may not yet be published as natural, but the last two are known to be naturally occurring minerals. I cross referenced their localities of origin, and both have known deposits in the Pacific coast region of the USA. The FER, and more specifically potassium ferrierite, was discovered in the mountains of California. This [amorphous hydrated opaline silica with alumina] stuff is probably a mixture, and being natural, the numbers are not perfect, but this is the closest I have been able to ascertain the nature of this material without x-ray diffraction or electron microscopy at my disposal.

If anyone wants to help, please check out the pore sizes in those links, and see if any of them appear to match up with some common terpene oxide molecules!

Thank you, and happy sciencing! :nerd_face:

12 Likes

Correction, I didn’t know what I was talking about before. Select FF has similar moisture to several other products being used with good success. I guess baking takes care of this?

1 Like

I’ve played with it a bit. It’s an interesting media for degumming, it seems. It can behave a bit like a flocculation aid for FFAs in chilled ethanol resin solution, much the same way flocculation aid in brewing helps sink dead yeast bodies by agglomeration and sedimentation. It’s basically a clarifying filter aid that works similar on FFAs and phosphatides in resin solutions as it does in vegetable oil treatment to remove similar rancidity-causing impurities.

3 Likes

Code: MagicDirt for 42.0% off orders of dirt until thanksgiving
Minimum purchase $150 with a max discount of $500.

Will be shipped media mail or you can pay for expedited shipping.

2 Likes

How was the opaline pallet tests sir?

Its the ultra clear we got in stock. It definently helps and works best when mixed together with powder media

5 Likes

I hear this is another media companies media as well but marked up a shit ton more but these are just rumors. :joy::rofl::joy:

1 Like

No big markups at fat dog , $3.16/lb with the discount

3 Likes

Is this a replacement for Silicia 60A in column chrom?

It’s for inline hydrocarbon color remediation. Not quite a replacement for silica if you’re trying to get water clear, but a good tool to use along side or as an alternative to other filtration media.

Glad to see ppl like and use this stuff!!!

Are people still using opaline?

1 Like

I have been reading consistently up to this post of yours. After this post I have jumped around some looking for the de replacements. I am clueless what does the same job as de. Hopefully it’s in this thread somewhere being the tread is so old, I have no clue if anyone will answer here.
Thanks in advance for any help about what practical options there are for a de replacement.

I know this thread is very old. Once a year at least I order a pallet of perform 6000, b80, silica and alumina. The last order with BVV was 10 bags of perform 6000 at 25kg each, 2 20kg barrels of alumina and 2 of silica. I’m technically a “garage” type but it’s a while building devoted to what I do.
Just wondering if you have these same products and have deals on pallet size orders.
You are welcome to send me a message if you still do this business.
Thanks for all the advice on here man!
I have learned a lot that I didn’t know here.
Truly appreciated.