MICACEOUS IRON OXIDE

Waldenstein ore contains a natural iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) which distinguishes it from other iron ores a.o. with its metallic grey lustre. Its lamellar structure – resembling that of mica – has also given it its name. Through a process of drying, grinding, screening and cleaning, the rock, which is also known as hematite, is turned into a soft, grey lustrous material with lamellar particles. It is precisely this lamellar structure and the strict adherence to a given grain size distribution that allows its use as a colour pigment, with properties which cannot be achieved by any other type of micaceous iron oxide.

Micaceous iron oxides (MIO) are rather scarce, and significant natural resources are known to be available in Europe (Austria), Asia (China), Australia and Africa. There are differences in mineralogy and iron content. The most important quality criteria of MIO products according to EN ISO 10601 and ASTM 5532 are:

• Content of lamellar particles (minimum 65% for grade A,
  EN ISO 10601)
• Fe₂O₃ content (min. 85%)
• Color of product (grey with metallic sheen)
• Particle size distribution (PSD) spezified
  
  KMI has a strong focus on Grade A products – at KMI quality comes first. Our MIOX^® Standard Grades AS, SG, DB are designed to meet these requirements.