2010 Annual Report - S&B

Product DivisionsBauxitespecialty classAlumina, Iron / Steel Making,Aluminous Cements, PortlandCements, Abrasives, MineralFibersBauxite is the primary raw material for the production of aluminium, while italso has several other specialty applications. S&B leases and owns bauxitemines in the Parnassos and Giona mountain regions in central Greece. Itsbauxite reserves are of diasporic and boehmitic nature. From the standpointof chemical composition, bauxite contains mainly alumina (more than 55%).It also contains other oxides such as those of silicon, iron, titanium and calcium.S&B also controls the bauxite reserves of Sardinia, which are ofboehmitic type and represent a complementary product to Greek bauxite.Bentoniteleading innovationsFoundry, Pelletizing,Civil engineering, Oil Drilling,Pet litter, SpecialtiesBentonite is a plastic clay generated from the in situ alteration of volcanicash, consisting predominantly of montmorillonite. It acquired its name fromFort Benton of the State of Montana in the U.S.A. where it was first discoveredand extracted. Bentonite presents strong colloidal properties and increasesits volume several times when coming into contact with water,creating a gelatinous and viscous substance. The special properties of bentonite(swelling, water absorption, viscosity, thixotropy) make it a very valuableclay for a wide range of uses and applications.ContinuousCasting Fluxesengineered solutionsContinuous Casting Fluxes,Covering Compounds,Metallurgical Active SlagsCasting fluxes under the Stollberg brand are a range of specialized and highvalue adding products utilized for the facilitation of the continuous castingprocess in steel casting. They are available as granules or as powders. Theyare applied to the mould during the continuous casting process of steelmaking. This method of pouring steel into a near to net-shape like slabs,blooms and billets represents the most efficient way to produce innovativeand high-grade steel products.Minerals Tradingbuilding new chainsGlass, Ceramics, Refractory,MetallurgyThe Minerals Trading Division processes and markets a variety of specialty minerals–such as wollastonite– under the “OTAVI” brand, from its own sources orfrom its partners world wide, serving the glass, ceramics, refractory and metallurgymarkets. Otavi acts as a “window of opportunity” for S&B by developingnew businesses on a Market-to-Mine basis. Otavi strives to be a reliableprovider of solutions to its customers by developing profitable and sustainablesupply chains in specialty industrial minerals and new geographical areas.Perliteexpanding marketsBuilding Materials, Construction,Horticulture, Cryogenics, FilterAids, Industrial ApplicationsPerlite is a natural volcanic glassy material, formed by rapidly cooled lavatrapping water within its mass. This phenomenon gives perlite its most importantphysical property, the ability to expand at temperatures of 800-950°C. White mass of tiny, glass-sealed bubbles is formed when suddencontrolled heating causes perlite to expand as a result of the trapped waterbeing evaporated. Its volume increases 10 to 20 times and its bulk densitydecreases accordingly, giving perlite excellent thermal and acoustic insulationproperties, particularly in lightweight aggregates.22 S&B Industrial Minerals S.A.