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2 ...... Board of Directors

3 ...... Message from the President

4 ...... Message from the Executive Director

6 ...... Orchids and Perlite: Remembering Dr. Wally Thomas

8 ...... Why Perlite Rocks

13 ...... In the News: Mergers and Acquisitions

14 ...... The Perlite Papers

15 ...... Patents: Two Thumbs Up for Perlite

17 ...... Perlite Patents

18 ...... Technical Q&As

19 ...... News from the Perlite Institute– 65th Annual Meeting– Member Benefit Spotlight:

Committee Involvement– Articles for Newsletter Sought– Photos Needed

21 ...... Selected Upcoming Trade Shows andMeetings

How can you grow lush,beautiful orchids like this?

Why, with perlite, of course!For decades, Dr. Wally Thomas, an orchid hybridistin British Columbia, Canada, grew award-winningorchids using the perlite reservoir technique with

intermediate-size perlite. He wrote extensivelyabout his success growing orchids with this

method. To learn more about Dr. Thomas, whopassed away earlier this year at the age of 92, and

his work with orchids and perlite, go to page 6.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 2

2013 Board of Directors for the Perlite Institute

OFFICERSPRESIDENTLinda Chirico

Carolina Perlite Company, Inc.P.O. Box 158Gold Hill, NC 28071Phone: (704) 279-2325Fax: (704) 279-8818lchirico@carolina.rr.com

VICE PRESIDENTMatt Goecker

EP Minerals LLC9785 Gateway DriveSuite 1000Reno, NV 89509Phone: (775) 824-7658matt.goecker@epminerals.com

TREASURERKeith Hoople

Midwest Perlite, Inc.4280 West Parkway Blvd.Appleton, WI 54913Phone: (920) 731-2671Fax: (920) 731-2600keith@midwestperlite.com

PAST PRESIDENT / ADVISORKathryn Louis

Sun Gro Horticulture Canada, Ltd.15831 NE Eighth St., #100Bellevue WA 98008Phone: (425) 433-0170Fax: (253) 484-2715kathrynl@sungro.com

DIRECTORSSebastien Caspard

Imerys Performance & Filtration Minerals154 Rue de l'UniversiteParis 75007FrancePhone: (33) 633 50 82 17sebastien.caspard@imerys.com

Mike HessIdaho Minerals LLCP.O. Box 162Malad City ID 83252Phone: (208) 766-4777 or (800) 767- 4701Fax: (208) 766-4776mikeh@hesspumice.com

René van der MarkPull Rhenen b.v.Postbus 15Utrechtsestraatweg 222Rhenen 3911 TX, NetherlandsPhone: (31) 318-471001Fax: (31) 318-472088rmark@pullrhenen.nl

Matthew MalaghanAustralian Perlite Pty Limited18-22 McPherson St.BanksmeadowSydney NSW 2019AustraliaPhone: 61 2 9316 0054Fax: 61 2 9316 0050matthew.malaghan@perlite.co.nz

Jerry MishlerSupreme Perlite4600 N. Suttle RoadPortland, OR 97217Phone: (503) 286-4333Fax: (503) 286-1068jerry@perlite.com

Rick WillisSilbrico Corporation6300 River RoadHodgkins IL 60525-4257Phone: (708) 354-3350Fax: (708) 354-6698rwillis@silbrico.com

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 3

Hope to See You in Sydney in September

Perlite Institute 2013 Annual Meeting

Sept. 29 – Oct. 2, 2013

See more details on page 19.

Join Us for the

AustraliaSydney, is a quarterly publication

of the

Perlite Institute, Inc.4305 N. 6th St., Suite A

Harrisburg, PA 17110 USA

Phone: 717.238.9723Fax: 717.238.9985

Winter issue is distributed in JanuarySpring issue is distributed in AprilSummer issue is distributed in JulyFall issue is distributed in October

www.perlite.org

Greetings, everyone. Since publication of our lastnewsletter, we are pleased to welcome a newmember to the Perlite Institute:

World Perlite Tellioglo Perlite and MineralMining Construction Company – Kocarli,Turkey

We look forward to seeing them at future PerliteInstitute meetings.

The Board of Directors met April 9 and 10 in Reno,Nev., to conduct strategic planning as well asongoing Perlite Institute business. Severalmembers also joined us for the session and tour ofEP Minerals’ perlite and DE plants in Lovelock,Nev., as well as its nearby perlite mine. On behalfof the Perlite Institute, I would like to extend ourthanks to Matt Goecker and his colleagues at EPMinerals for their tremendous hospitality and aspectacular tour of their perlite operations.

The Communications Committee is nearing

completion of our Perlite Loose-Fill Insulation brochure, but weare still in search of good photos of thisapplication. If anyone has photos to share, pleasesend them to the Perlite Institute office.

Our annual meeting to be held in Sydney,Australia, Sept. 29 through Oct. 2, is fastapproaching. Registration information has beensent out, speakers have been booked, and the SirStamford Hotel in “The Rocks” district of Sydneyawaits our arrival. Hope to see you all there!

During its strategic planning meeting in April, theBoard of Directors toured EP Minerals’ perlite mine.

Message from the Presidentby Linda Chirico

Wanted: Photos of Loose-Fill InsulationThe Communications Committee is seeking somegood photos for use in the Perlite Loose-FillInsulation brochure. Can you help us out? Pleasesend your photos to communications@perlite.org.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 4

Each year, the Institute’s Board of Directors meetsto strategically plan for the future of theorganization. During this exercise, the boardidentifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities andthreats to the organization and developsmeasurable goals for the organization to worktoward through committeeactivities.

This year, the board metin Reno, Nev., in April. Bythe end of the planningsession, those present haddeveloped and prioritizedthe following goals for theorganization:

1 Use technology foreducational delivery by Dec. 31, 2014(Meetings Committee)

2 Net seven new members by Dec. 31, 2014(Membership Committee)

3 Develop analysis on competitive products(i.e., insulation, stormwater managementand sludge coagulants) by Dec. 31, 2014(Research Committee)

4 Continue to update websitefor reach and relevance byDec. 31, 2014(Communications Committee)

5 Maintain 95 percent of currentmembers by Feb. 28, 2014(Membership Committee)

6 Develop a model for the PI toresearch new products byDec. 31, 2014 (ResearchCommittee)

7 Increase memberparticipation incommittee work by March 31, 2014(Membership Committee)

8 Continue to research and use blogs andsocial media sites by Dec. 31, 2014(Communications Committee)

9 Develop five new and update four outdatedproduct guides by June 30, 2014(Communications Committee)

10 Continue grant process by Dec. 31, 2014(Research Committee)

11 Continue providing newsletter and promotearticles received by Dec. 31, 2014(Communications Committee)

12 Review existing standards and researchcodes and regulations affecting the industryby Dec. 31, 2014 (Research Committee)

13 Use spokesperson to represent the Perliteindustry through various venues by Dec. 31,2014 (Chuck Vogelsang and Board)

Message from the Executive Directorby Denise R. Calabrese

The Future of the Perlite Institute

My challenge to everymember is this: Give twohours each quarter toyour professionalassociation. Your inputwill have a lasting effecton the success and futureof the Perlite Institute.

The Perlite Institute Board ofDirectors met in April in Reno, Nev.,

to conduct strategic planning andongoing Perlite Institute business.The meeting included a tour of EP

Minerals’ nearby perlite and DEplants and perlite mine.

Continued on page 5

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 5

14 Continue to research and share patents andregulations affecting the industry anddevelop a process to analyze the informationby Dec. 31, 2014 (Ken Wiener and Board)

These goals require active committees to overseethe projects and activities that will be developed toaddress the goals. The board agreed upon thefollowing committee structure for 2014:

• Meetings Committee

• Membership Committee

• Research Committee

• Communications Committee

• Long-Range Planning Committee

While board members will continue to chair andserve on the various committees, it is imperative tothe success of this plan that members of theInstitute get involved in committee work. We needvolunteers! The time commitment might requireseveral conference calls throughout the year tosolicit your ideas and opinions, and those callstypically take one to two hours depending uponthe agenda items. Most importantly, we needmembers to provide ideas during these meetings.

My challenge to every member is this: Give twohours each quarter to your professionalassociation. Your input will have a lasting effect onthe success and future of the Perlite Institute.Perhaps you have an employee who would benefitfrom networking with other members on aconference call. Ask him or her to serve! You only

get back from your membership in the PerliteInstitute what you put into the organization. Themore you put in, the more you will get back. Trustme when I say you will benefit from thisexperience and may actually enjoy gettinginvolved!

To get involved, send an e-mail to me atinfo@perlite.org. I will pass your information onto the appropriate committee chair and staffmember to start the ball rolling. You will not regretthis decision. Please get involved and volunteertoday!

Message from the Executive DirectorContinued from page 4

More photos from the Board of Directorsplanning session in April

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 6

by Steve WhysallPhotos by Mark van Manen

Editor’s Note: Dr. Wally Thomas, who had beenhead of haematology at the Vancouver GeneralHospital and an emeritus professor of medicine atthe University of British Columbia, was also anorchid hybridist who sang the praises of growingorchids in perlite. He studied and wrote about hissuccess growing orchids at Charles Island Gardensusing the perlite reservoir technique. Dr. Thomas,92, passed away in January. The following tributeto him originally ran in the Vancouver Sun. It hasbeen edited for length and is reprinted withpermission of the author.

I first met Wally in February 1992, when he was inthe middle of organizing the 16th World OrchidConference in Vancouver, the first time it had beenheld in North America.

I remember walking intohis house in theLighthouse Park area ofWest Vancouver andfinding lots of tinyodontoglossum orchidsbeing propagated in jars.

Of course, at the time, I had no idea what anodontoglossum orchid was. But Wally was a verykind and gentle and generous teacher – a wise soulwho was capable of imparting knowledge withinfinite grace and charm. As I remember, he alwayshad a merry twinkle in his eyes.

For him, it allstarted when hebrought home afew cattleyaorchids, and theybloomed for himalmostimmediately.

“I had alwayswanted to have ago at orchids” hetold me. “I thoughtthey were lovely,and theyrepresented aninterestingchallenge.”

It wasn’t long, however, before he had met and fellhead over heels in love with odontoglossums.

In 2007, I worked with Wally on another story, thistime about how he was helping a young teenageboy, Tom Holland (he was 15 at the time), todevelop his interest in orchids, notablyodontoglossums.

It was typical of Wally to see an opportunity wherehe could be of help. He helped Tom build his owncollection of odontoglossums. I liked the photo ofthe two of them very much. It said much morethan the story, showing one generation passing onknowledge to another with great kindness.

As well as a fine collection at his house in West

Remembering Dr. Wally Thomas

Dr. Thomas fell head overheels in love with theodontoglossum orchid.

“There is somethingmagical about orchids.When you look at themthey seem so different toother flowers.”

— Dr. Wally Thomas

Dr. Wally Thomas was an orchid hybridist who hadgreat success growing orchids using the perlitereservoir technique.

Dr. Thomas mentors Tom Holland in growing orchids.

Continued on page 7

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 7

by Wally Thomas and Barb Thomas

For a long time, perlite has been known as abeneficial soil conditioner. Starting some 15years ago at the West of Scotland ResearchStation, a hydroponic technique was developedusing pure perlite for growing tomatoes. Thetechnique really takes advantage of perlite’sexcellent capillary action by using a reservoirto hold nutrient solution for the perlite toabsorb.

In tomato culture studies wherethe perlite technique wascompared to rockwool culture,researchers found the perlite tobe superior and much simpler tomanage. In 1988, we decided toconduct our own experiment onrockwool and perlite with ourorchid collection.

For the experiment, 36 matchedodontoglossum seedlings weregrown in rockwool and perlite. Atthe end of a year, there was no significantdifference in their growth as measured byweight and leaf length. The plants in perlite didseem to take off to a slightly slower start butcaught up by the end of the year.

The root systems in perlite were much largerthan those in rockwool, and in the ensuingyears, the perlite plants did so well and were soeasy to manage that we moved our entirecollection from rockwool to perlite in the springof 1992. Since doing so, we have received threeAwards of Merit and six Highly CommendedCertificates from the American Orchid Society.

To read the rest of this article, go towww.cvios.com/perlite_article.htm.

Excerpt from Dr. Wally Thomas’s Plant Guide:Growing Orchids in Perlite

This Plant Guide summarizes five years ofoutstanding success in growing orchids atCharles Island Gardens using the perlitereservoir technique with intermediate-sizeperlite. This method, by which all major genera

of orchids can be grown, allows fora constant supply of nutrient to theplant by taking advantage of theunique capillary action of perlite.

An outstanding characteristic ofthis method of culture is that onecannot overwater and that there isalways excellent aeration. Table 1compares the excellent propertiesof perlite with those of othercommonly used growing media.

Additionally, perlite is a naturallyoccuring material. Horticultural perlite (about1/8 inch, 3 mm in diameter) is pretreated bypouring perlite into a tub of water and fertilizersolution. The perlite is pushed into the waterseveral times, and the floating perlite isskimmed off. This wet perlite is a wonderfullyeasy material with which to pot. Suchpretreated perlite shows no evidence ofcompaction after three years.

To see Dr. Thomas’s entire guide, including thetable referred to above, go to www.perlite.org/library-perlite-info/horticultural- perlite/Growing-Orchids_Perlite.pdf.

Vancouver, Wally has another even largercollection at his island retreat off Pender Harbouron the Sunshine Coast.

I knew very little of his professional life as adoctor, although I did know that he did some veryimportant work in immunology that resulted inproducing better treatment for leukemia patients.

For me, though, I will always remember Wally forhis easy smile and gentle manner and hiswonderful enthusiasm for orchids.

“There is something magical about orchids,” heonce told me. “When you look at them they seemso different to other flowers.”

Steve Whysall has been the garden columnist for theVancouver Sun in British Columbia, Canada, for morethan 20 years.

Dr. Wally Thomas Continued from page 6

Orchids and Perlite: A Perfect Match

The most importantfeatures of perlite forgrowing orchids, accordingto Dr. Wally Thomas:

• Potting ease

• Free draining, so it’svirtually impossible tooverwater

• Excellent aeration

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 8

Why Perlite Rocks A look at news around the globe affectingPerlite manufacturers

by Kenneth Wiener

Smog, Dusty Roads, Fracking and Arsenic in BeerCRYSTALLINE SILICA and DUST

And, the answer is still no. There has been noaction on the proposed silica exposure rules inthe United States.

On the other hand, California is beginning to leadin environmental rules again. This time, it mightactually make sense, especially for perlite. TheCalifornia governor has proposed changes towarning label rules mandated by Proposition 65since 1986. Proposition 65 warnings generally readas follows: “WARNING: This product containschemicals known to the State of California to causecancer and birth defects or other reproductiveharm.” The warning is mandated unless exposurelevels are deemed to be “safe.” However, there arevery few levels of anything acknowledged to besafe. The changes would mandate that efforts bemade to establish safe levels of exposure.

In the private sector, United States Silica hasreleased its 2012 sustainability report, which youcan download at www.ussilicasustain.com. Thereare some interesting takeaways from this report,not the least of which is that it exists at all. A fewsnippets will appear throughout this column. Inthis section, the report announces the opening of aprocessing facility that is designed to resin-coatgranules of sand for use as a proppant in frackingoperations.

What does this process do? For a start, it does notsignificantly reduce the level of crystalline silica inthe sand. Any attempt by an analytical laboratorywill begin by grinding the material to a powder,thereby exposing uncoated material.

So, what does it do? Small particles, of respirablesize, are likely to be bound to other, largerparticles. Hence, visible dust is reduced when thesand is transported. Complaints by neighbors andthe community are likely to be fewer. From atechnical standpoint, though, the possibility existsof making a more spherical proppant particle bygluing smaller particles of different shapestogether. The spherical shape is the shape that thefracking industry says is desired.

Additionally, the world has theproblem of high levels ofparticulate matter in the air. This matter isdesignated either PM (particles smaller than about30 microns), PM-10 (particles smaller than 10microns) or PM-2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5microns). The latter two are considered moredangerous, but as can be seen in the followingpicture, all can contribute to haze and smog.

That smoggy vista is of “Chch,” better known asChristchurch to all but perhaps its inhabitants. Yes,New Zealand! Land of pristine beauty and anocean away from smoggy Los Angeles, Tokyo orMexico City. Pollution levels in Chch haveexceeded the standard of 50 micrograms per cubicmeter of air at least four times this year so far.

What causes PM formation? My answer, and thetextbook answer, has been combustion processes,especially incomplete combustion such as that ofsooty diesel fuel.

In the graphic on the next page, we can see thatPM2.5 can form secondarily and presumablyspontaneously when exposed to light from smog.

Continued on page 9

This smoggy vista is located in New Zealand, land ofpristine beauty and an ocean away from smoggy LosAngeles, Tokyo or Mexico City. Photo by Dean Kozanic,The Press

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 9

However, when you see the following, think PMand PM-10. Coincidentally, this logging truck is alsoshown driving on an unsealed road in NewZealand.

It is likely that mining equipment will also createsimilar dust, providing another reason to sealroads either simply with water or with some kindof acrylic emulsion. Oil emulsions may be toxic asthey leach into surrounding soils and watersheds.

GLOBAL WARMING & POLITICS

One particular environmental organization,Germanwatch, publishes information yearly onclimate change risks to nations and information ona so-called “performance index” based oninformation from each country. There doesn’tseem to be any normalization between countries,

so China and the United States, ranked 52 and 53respectively, are measured against Slovakia andIceland, for example. The 2010 performance indexis found online.

The breakdown of indicators suggests that China“talks the talk” but doesn’t “walk the walk.” On theother hand, all this information is indicative of theconflict going on behind the scenes before, duringand after climate change talks. Each faction wantsthe “others” to take a bigger share ofresponsibility, claiming “fairness” concerns due toeconomic imbalances between developed nationsand the undeveloped world.

Bloomberg News reports that the StockholmEnvironment Institute wants the United States toprovide almost 30 percentof the world’s cuts ofcarbon emissions by 2020.In comparison, theywould assign China a littleover 10 percent of thecuts, while the EuropeanUnion’s share would beabout 23 percent andIndia’s only 1.2 percent.

Realistically, such numbers are not going tohappen unless technology improves dramatically,and even then, I’m not sure. Reducing the smogproblem in Los Angeles took time, technology,money and the political will to establish andenforce vehicle emission standards. Climatechange mitigation related to reducing the amountof or the rate of rise of atmospheric carbon dioxidelevels will take concerted efforts and would not bewithout pain throughout the world.

EU LAWS: REACh, CLP

The latest EU issue requiring perliters’ attention isthe question of how to establish that perlite doesnot leach harmful substances to theenvironment. Never mind that perlite gets used insoil. Never mind that perlite is used to filterconsumable beverages, often acidic in nature. Ihave been requested to deal with their rules, so Iwill draft the paperwork to satisfy the requirement.

MINE SAFETY

Fracking. Love it or hate it, it’s the topic of many atown hall meeting, as communities meet to decidewhether the practice should occur in their area.

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 8

Continued on page 10

Climate change mitigationrelated to reducing theamount of or the rate ofrise of atmospheric carbondioxide levels will takeconcerted efforts andwould not be without painthroughout the world.

blog.powermag.com/index.php/2013/06/03/pm2-5-more-than-just-dust/

This logging truck on an unsealed road in NewZealand shows why roads should be sealed eitherwith water or some kind of acrylic emulsion. Photo byGraham Wright, the Northern Advocate

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 10

Major concerns include air and water qualitydegradation but also involve land use questionsand earthquakes. Reading through this quarter’spatents, I found a patent assigned to SchlumbergerTechnology Corporation that mentions perlite asan option but does not really recommend or preferperlite. The process protected by this patent turnslow-density, low-crushstrength materials intohigh-crush strengthgranules for use asproppants in frackingapplications.

Why would a company want to create suchgranules when they can simply mine sand?Precisely because of the opposition’s issues notedabove. Such granules are low in crystalline silicaand low in respirable particles. They don’t have tobe mined locally or regionally either, so land useissues are reduced.

That leaves issues related to contaminatedmaterial. I don’t have a very good handle on whereall the water pumped down the well goes. If itcomes up again, it could be a candidate forfiltration and or reverse osmosis type treatment. Ifit stays underground, that water could contaminatelocal drinking water wells. And, that’s not the onlycontamination. Cuttings from drilling operationshave to go somewhere.

In April, a truck loaded with cuttings from aPennsylvania well set off radiation detectors as itentered a potential dump site. Gamma rays comingfrom radium-226 were detected, and it wasdetermined that the material was too radioactivefor that particular hazardous waste site. Radiumlevels were more than 80 times EPA standards. Thetruck was redirected back to the drilling operationand then had to be sent to a more appropriatewaste facility; all in all, a highly inefficient process.

In a nod to pragmatism, a certifying agency calledthe Center for Sustainable Shale Developmenthas been created. The initial purpose is to set highoperational standards for companies operating inthe Marcellus Shale formation that ranges fromWest Virginia through Pennsylvania and into NewYork State. Founders include energy companies,environmental groups and philanthropicorganizations, even though mistrust lingers on.

Unlike the earlier reported on website

www.fracfocus.org, this group would limit orprohibit the use of certain materials, such as dieselfuel, in fracking fluids, demand detaileddisclosures and push faster compliance with EPAstandards than required by law. Certification willinclude 15 standards covering water and airquality. Water standardsinclude a requirement toreuse as much water aspossible. Is this anopportunity for perlitefilter aid or perliteaggregate-packed filtrationcolumns? Members serving this geographical areaare encouraged to find out soon, while companiesare beginning the certification process!

Also on the subject of mine safety, the US Silicasustainability report referenced above proudlyboasts the length of time that various facilitieshave gone without a “lost time incident.” Some ofthese numbers are actually very impressive. Onecould actually do worse than using the report as atemplate for one’s own sustainability report.

COMPETITION

A paper made the news this quarter regardingarsenic content of beer. The authors measuredlevels in German brands of beer significantly abovedrinking water standards. Of course, total dosage iswhat counts, but the point was specifically madethat these brands were filtered throughdiatomaceous earth and that’s what caused theproblem.

I was ready to suggest perlite for filtration instead;however, calculations showed that that mucharsenic could not have come from DE that metFood Chemical Codex specifications. And, I foundearlier articles that showed varying levels ofarsenic and lead in beer with a larger sample sizeand brewers from the Americas, Europe and Asia.One would think that if the heavy metal contentcame from the filter aid, arsenic and lead levelswould track. They did not, so the logicalconclusion would be to look elsewhere.

THE ECONOMY

The United States is facing implementation of theAffordable Care Act, colloquially known asObamacare. Behind all the shouting about howgood or terrible the law is, is the basic question:What is the cost of healthcare? The business

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 9

Continued on page 11

Is this an opportunity forperlite filter aid or perliteaggregate-packedfiltration columns?

Fracking. Love it or hate it,it’s the topic of many atown hall meeting.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 11

model of traditional insurance is that the doctor,hospital, lab or other entity bills the coveredindividual’s health insurance, and the insurancecompany has a negotiated set of rates with theentity for various goods and services. Theinsurance company does not have to share that setof rates with anyone, and the entity does not haveto share its set of rates with the public. In fact,hospitals, and probably doctors and laboratories,hire consultants to artificially increase revenue byreclassifying certain procedures into morelucrative categories.

After the insurance company determines thenegotiated charge, it can pay all or some, based onthe details of the insurance policy. Whatever is leftover, and there usually is, is the responsibility ofthe insured.

Estimates are that 16 percent of the U.S. economyis related to healthcare, and that percentage is ontrack to hit 20 percent by2021. These costs areserious. So, how are costscalculated and howvariable are they, youask? The answers are,“Who knows?” and“Extremely,” respectively.Medicare has published astudy revealing wildly varying charges among U.S.hospitals for 100 common inpatient treatments andprocedures.

One might expect costs to vary from state to state,but within a single area? Average hospital costs forknee and hip transplants in the Los Angeles areawere between $32,022 and $223,373. Pneumoniatreatment averages ranged from $17,000 to $70,000.That’s not for single cases where one could saythat one case was easier than another. That’s theaverage cost for those kinds of cases at varioushospitals!

Regardless of politics, such opacity in pricing,combined with the size of the economic sector,presents a challenge for all in all sectors of theeconomy.

GREEN BUILDINGS

To illustrate the trend of “green” construction,when I did a Google news search for the terms“green building,” I found more than 12,000 hits.

Admittedly, some will refer to a building that is thecolor green; however, thousands of references to“green” is an indication that the topic is real andhas global impact.

In contrast, a Google news search for the terms“stormwater runoff” and “construction” found 200-plus hits. And now the bad news: the use of Googlenews to search for “stormwater runoff” and“perlite” got zero hits. Perhaps we, as an industry,need to promote our benefits more loudly.

Google did, however, return information on a 2008paper published in a journal called WaterEnvironment Research. The abstract of the paperreads:

This paper presents the study of a mixed porousmedia composed of expanded perlite and anonwoven needle-punched geotextile used toreduce the suspended solids load andconcentration in urban runoff. Laboratoryprocedures were designed to quantify thesuspended solids removal efficiency and variationin time of filtration rate. Different grain-sizedistributions of expanded perlite, diversesuspended solids concentrations, and differenthydraulic and geometric conditions were tested todetermine the most effective filter media. Adimensionless parameter, termed GlobalPerformance Index (GPI), was developed to reachthis objective. Measured data were also used tobuild a dimensional and a regression model torepresent the performance of the filter mediamathematically. The theory, derivation andperformance of both models are presented andcompared with an existent empirical model. Thedimensional model better reproduces theobservations, becoming a useful tool for the design,operation and evaluation of commercial porousmedia filters. Water Environ. Res., 80, 524 (2008)

BIOFUELS & OTHER SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

Efforts to use methane and other biogases fromwastes to create electricity have to date focused onactual waste. A national grocery chain in my areahas gone a step further. The stores are collectingrotten food from their 359 area stores and bringingit all to a facility at their 59-acre regionalheadquarters. That alone diverts the waste fromlandfills and saves the energy needed to truck the150 tons per day approximately 100 miles.

I read about this facility in the Los Angeles Times

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 10

Continued on page 12

Estimates are that 16percent of the U.S.economy is related tohealthcare, and thatpercentage is on track tohit 20 percent by 2021.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 12

and tried to get a tour, but the company does notallow that. The newspaper does describe theprocess, though. First, the food is dumped into agrinder and then sent to a pulping machine thatscreens out glass and metal while mixing in hotwastewater from a nearby dairy to create thesludge. That sludge is pumped into a 250,000-gallonstaging tank and then fed into a 2 million-gallonsilo. Bacteria are allowed to digest the organicmaterial, while creating methane gas. The methanethen feeds three turbine generators capable ofproducing 13 million kilowatts-hours of energyannually. If that energy were sent to the grid, itwould satisfy the needs of 2,000 homes. Eventhough the energy is used internally within theheadquarters (20 percent of needs), that amount ofenergy still would have been used and can beconsidered as providing 2,000 homes withelectricity.

My interest in viewing this process was todetermine the type of insulation used on the tanksand silos. According to a tank manufacturer I spokewith, perlite is not used to insulate the walls. It ispossible, however, that the tops of these structuresare designed to move up and down, along with theamount of material in them. If so, something suchas perlite lightweight insulating concrete might beof use. Excess water is pumped out, purified andthen put into the sewer for further treatment.Leftover solids qualify as organic fertilizer and arereported to be sufficient to nourish 8,000 acres.

One additional feedstock not mentioned in thenewspaper is whey. Cheese factories use a lot ofmilk and create a lot of protein rich whey. Wheydisposal creates a major problem as well.

This “closed loop” system was developed by aBoston company called Feed Resource Recovery.While it took four years to plan, build and openthis facility, the timing is good. Last August, theNatural Resources Defense Council reported that40 percent of food in the United States goesuneaten. That report may be viewed atwww.nrdc.org/food/files/wasted-food-ip.pdf.

In similar news, systems designed to convert dairycow manure to energy may finally find success. Acompany called CH4 Power, Inc., is ready toconstruct a system on the property of a Californiadairy farmer with 1,200 cows. This will be the thirdsuch digester on the property since 1985. The 1985

system was replaced in 2002 but was shut down in2009 due to inability to comply with air pollutionrequirements. The 1985 system directly cost thefarmer almost $1 million, but the current systemwill involve a different economic model in whichCH4 Power will lease the land, purchase themanure, monitor the operation and be available forrepairs. More importantly, earlier efforts to getdairy farmers to install such systems also hit anontechnical snag, as they injected the farmersinto the energy business. With this model, thefarmers can concentrate on the job of taking careof their cows and processing the milk.

Other companies making digesters are skepticalabout the business model, the environmentalpermitting process andthe technology. The mainthing, though, for perlitersis that CH4 Powerenvisions concretedigester tanks. Again,these would need to beinsulated, so perliteconcrete or perlite loosefill could be of some use.

The 1,200 cows produce up to 90 tons of manuredaily. Useful outputs from this system wouldinclude energy, fertilizer, treated reusable liquids,compost and animal bedding.

OTHER REGULATORY ISSUES

Again, I encourage readers to visitwww.ussilicasustain.com and download thesustainability report. The authors keepintertwining sustainability goals with “triple bottomline” thinking. That’s not a bad thing, regardless ofpolitics.

The following issue is not strictly about regulations.It is about the use of regulations applied unevenlyaround the world that can ruin vacations orbusiness travel. Along with smart phones, theworld now has smart, or EMV (Europay,MasterCard and Visa) credit cards. The magneticstrip on U.S. credit cards are so last century.Without a smart card, using a credit card on theLondon Tube could be impossible.

These smart cards come in two varieties: Chip andPIN, and Chip and Sign. Although these are usuallyinterchangeable, those annoying London Tubemachines require a PIN! And, yet, the Chip and PIN

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 11

CH4 Power envisionsconcrete digester tanks toconvert dairy cowmanure to energy. Thesetanks would need to beinsulated, and perliteconcrete or perlite loosefill could be of some use.

Continued on page 13

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 13

In the News: Mergers & AcquisitionsMergers and Acquisitions in Australia Slow

Mergers and acquisitions involving Australiancompanies fell to their lowest level in nine years inthe first quarter of 2013 as the nation’s miningboom slows amid declining commodity prices. Thevalue of deals fell to $9.7 billion in the threemonths to March from a year earlier, according todata compiled by Bloomberg.

The Bureau of Resources and Energy Economicsprojected in a May 22 report that investment haspeaked after A$150 billion of mines were delayedor scrapped in the past 12 months. This year,Australian mining support companies BoartLongyear LTD, Transfield Services Ltd. and UGLLtd. said the deferral of major projects wouldimpact earnings.

Amidst this climate, Carlyle Group LP and SevenGroup Holdings Ltd. scrapped the sale of CoatesHire, Australia’s largest equipment rental company,including equipment for the mining and resourcesmarket. Carlyle Group LP and Seven GroupHoldings Ltd. each own 45 percent of Coates. Clickhere to read the article from Bloomberg.com.

Metso Oyj Set to Split, Focus on Mining and Construction

Shareholders of Metso Oyj, the Finnish maker ofrock crushers and mining equipment, arescheduled to decide on Oct. 1 whether to split thecompany and spin off its less profitable paper, pulpand power unit.

Metso, which is splitting off paper, pulp and powerinto a new company called Valmet Oyj, will focus

on mining, construction and automation. Thesluggish global economy weighs on demand forinvestment goods, including machinery andequipment. About half of Metso’s 3.5 billion-euro($4.6 billion) annual mining and construction salescome from services.

Metso’s mining, construction and automation hadan operating profit margin of more than 11 percentof net sales last year, with operating profit growingto 498 million euros. Its paper, pulp and powerbusiness achieved a 4.9 percent margin, and itsprofit was 148 million euros. The new Metso will beless volatile due to less emphasis on large projects,said Chief Executive Officer Matti Kaehkoenen.Click here to read the article from Bloomberg.com.

South Africa’s Employees Pension Fund Plans toInvest in Funds Related in Part to Mining

South Africa’s Government Employees PensionFund, Africa’s biggest, plans to allocate 13 billionrand ($1.3 billion) to three new funds targeted atboosting employment and economic growth. ThePublic Investment Corp., which manages most ofthe of the pension fund’s money, has committed 3billion rand for a “priority sectors” fund, which willtarget employment in manufacturing, agriculture,tourism and mining. Click here to read the articlefrom Bloomberg.com.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. MakesBid to Reduce Vulnerability to Metal Prices

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. wonapproval in May from shareholders of PlainsExploration & Production Co. for a $6.63 billiontakeover after sweetening the bid for the largestU.S. oil and natural gas purchase announced in thepast year.

A majority of Plains holders voted in favor of thetakeover after the companies offered investors anadditional $3 a share in the form of one-timespecial cash dividend plus another $1 for eachshare in Freeport they own after the merger closes.The Plains acquisition is part of Phoenix-basedFreeport’s $9 billion bid to expand its naturalresources supply base to include oil and gasproduction and reduce its vulnerability to metalprices. Click here to read the article fromBloomberg.com.

cards can be difficult to use when making apurchase from an e-tailer.

What’s a traveler to do? One bit of simple advice isto call your credit card company and see whetherthey offer a solution. These more advanced creditcards are becoming more available in the UnitedStates.

Until next time, happy expanding! Contact me atk_wiener@hotmail.com if you have anyquestions.

Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 12

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 14

The Perlite Papers Innovative Uses of Perlite Explored

by Kenneth Wiener

This quarter, papers were published that dealtwith common uses of perlite, such as lightweightconcrete, phase change materials and as a minorcomponent of green roof growing media. Theselected papers presented here, though, representmore unusual applications with upwardcommercial potential: Fish farming, vegetablegrowing and decontaminating spoil.

A summary of the papers is presented belowbased on the nominal dates of the papers’publication, with the “newest” first.

Perlite in Fish Farming1

According to the authors of this paper, fish farmersface significant issues with water contaminationfrom excess food and excretion products. Insteadof relying on these materials to eventually sink andbe dredged out of the pond or other area, theseresearchers began thinking about ways to makeboth feed pellets and fish feces actually float. Thatway, the water may bepurified by skimming thetop of the water.

Only one grade of perlite,a hydrophobic gradesupplied by a Germanexpander, was tested inthis study, along with small and large cork, twogrades of 3M hollow glass microspheres, foamedglass beads and a combination of vermiculite, glassmicrospheres and a prebiotic mix that encouragesgut bacteria to produce gas. The perlite, fromDamolin GmbH in Hamburg, Germany, is calledMicroperl mp500FH, and is reported to have aloose weight density of about 5 pcf (0.085grams/cubic centimeter) with a size range of 32 -250 microns. The material is said to have a silanetreatment.

Results with the perlite in the diet of these rainbowtrout were mixed. The bad news is that eventhough fewer fish experienced hindgutinflammation than on the control diet, the extent ofinflammation was higher. Severe disorders werenot present though, suggesting that relatively large

perlite glass shards, created when pressure wasapplied to form the feed pellets, may have beenresponsible for the irritation. The article does notdiscuss any possible effect from the silane coating.The only lightweight additive that created floatingfeces was cork between 0.5 and 1.0 mm (large).

Overall, the concept was shown to be a valid one,passing at least one major test: Fish had todistinguish between floating feed pellets andfloating feces, and they did. Although theresearchers plan to conduct further testing usingthe larger gradation of cork, it would be interestingto see what smaller sized milled perlite does in thisapplication.

Perlite and Root Vegetables2

The authors of this paper claim that rootvegetables, such as carrots, have not been grownhydroponically before. Their work with perliteshows that not only is it possible to do so, but thatthe conventional wisdom of “coarser is better” isnot true, at least in this application. They tried 5mm perlite, 1.2 mm perlite and 0.6 mm perlite.They liked the 0.6 mm perlite the best and evenwent beyond their three-year growing study. Theyactually recycled the perlite, creating 0.3 mmperlite, and grew somecarrots in that as well.Their conclusions werethat if correctly cleaned,perlite could be reusedfor years.

Their concentration study of the nutrient solutionissue found that in general, smaller amounts ofnutrients outperformed higher levels.

Horticultural Perlite and Contaminated Spoil 3

Although the results of the root vegetable studycould generate commercial sales, the followingpaper seems to offer commercial viability in thefuture. The 25 volume percent horticultural perliteseems to have been added to increase the surfacearea available for the biochar and iron to do theirwork. Spoil, by the way, seems to be the British

Perlite Uses in Fish Farming, Vegetable Growing and Decontamination

Continued on page 15

Their conclusions werethat if correctly cleaned,perlite could be reusedfor years.

These researchers beganthinking about ways tomake both feed pelletsand fish feces actuallyfloat.

term for mine tailings or waste.

The work with iron and biochar was able toremove contamination from the spoil to the pointthat sunflower plants were able to grow to somedegree. The pH of the soil was still acidic, wellbelow the 6.0–8.5 that sunflowers like. A choice ofplant species that thrives at lower pH levels wouldhave been better advised, but it is still remarkableconsidering that nothing grew on the untreatedmaterial.

I continue to look forward to reading about andreporting on innovative thinking out there in boththe literature and the real world.

References:1 Julia Unger, Alexander Brinker, “Floating feces: A

new approach for efficient removal of solids inaquacultural management,” Aquaculture, Volumes404–405, 10 August 2013, pages 85-94.

2 Md. Asaduzzaman, Yutaro Kobayashi, Md. FuadMondal, Takuya Ban, Hitoshi Matsubara, FumihikoAdachi, Toshiki Asao, “Growing carrots hydro-ponically using perlite substrates,” ScientiaHorticulturae, Volume 159, 30 July 2013, pages 113-121.

3 Helen E. Sneath, Tony R. Hutchings, Frans A.A.M.de Leij, “Assessment of biochar and iron filingamendments for the remediation of a metal,arsenic and phenanthrene co-contaminatedspoil,” Environmental Pollution, Volume 178, July2013, pages 361-366.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 15

The Perlite Papers continued from page 14

Patents: Two Thumbs Up for Perliteby Kenneth Wiener

Fixing the U.S. Patent SystemAs of the writing of this column, PresidentObama’s administration has announced plans tofix the United States’ patent system. The problemthat requires fixing is the use of overly broad andsometimes fraudulentpatents to extort billionsof dollars from companies(an estimated $29 billionin 2011, alone!) in legalsettlements in lieu oflengthy and expensivelawsuits. People andcompanies participatingin such extortion are labeled “patent trolls.” Thetechnical term for patent trolls is nonpracticingentities, and the big error in their patents is termed“functional claiming.”

Functional claiming, for instance, could involve ause of a scanner to send documents to e-mail usersor use of a “shopping cart” by an online retailer.Rather than limit the claims of a patent to theactual process, the Patent Office allowed the claimof the goal. Interestingly, the U.S. Supreme Courtbanned functional claiming in the 1940s for othertypes of patents, but the advent of patentablesoftware, combined with an overly generousPatent Office, has enabled the return of this

problem.

The Obama administration has also proposedprotections for small companies and individuals.Local hotels and coffee shops that provide Wi-Fiservices to customers have been troll bait.Congress has been asked to provide protection forsuch end users.

Thankfully, perlite has not been the subject of suchbroad claims, to my knowledge. As a result, therest of this column is devoted to the usual types oftopics. I have listed most of this quarter’sinteresting patents involving perlite. Why most?One of the interesting ones (#8,420,578) does notconsider perlite to be a preferred material. Theinventors take a potentially lightweight,unexpanded mineral such as perlite, vermiculite,zeolite or even clay, mix it with a binder, add morekaolin clay, roll out granules, dry and then calcineat 1,350 degrees C for at least an hour, until finallyscreening out the desired -20 mesh, +40 meshmaterial.

What do they propose to do with the material thatthey’ve put through these processes? Thosegranules are supposed to be used as proppant infracking operations. My guess is that this is to

Continued on page 16

Patent trolls try toextort billions of dollarsfrom companies inlegal settlements inlieu of lengthy andexpensive lawsuits.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 16

reduce the chance that communities will object tothe use of hazardous materials such as sand.

Three patents, all listed, involving perlite wereissued to Halliburton (#8,403,045, 8,434,553 and8,440,596) on another below-ground application:oil well cements. All three specify perlite oreground very finely, the ’596 patent even finer thanthe others. It will be interesting to see whetherthey actually purchase perlite ore for use as apozzolan/cost reducer/carbon footprint reducer attheir locations.

A fourth Halliburton patent, as near as I can tell,involves perlite in an unusual way. Peoplegenerally try to put coatings on perlite, but thispatent (#8,450,391) uses perlite as a coating onelastomer particles. That way, the company claimsto be able to compatiblize those elastomerparticles, perhaps tire crumb, with Portlandcement-based concrete.

Two patents (#8,445,062 and 8,445,063)assigned to Scutter Enterprises, near Saint Louis,Mo., claim to harden perlite to the point that withthe addition of only a small amount of weight inthe form of a metal oxide coating, a 3-foot-thickpacked bed of perlite can support its own weight.

This creates a different type of filter.

And I was impressed by patent #8,398,763 inwhich the wonderfullynamed company,Unstuck, LLC, hasprotected its invention ofa mix of ingredients,including perlite. If yourvehicle is stuck on an icyhill and cannot gaintraction, simply sprinklethis stuff on the groundand you are good to go!

Last, but perhaps not least are two patentsconcerning well-known uses for perlite: filtrationand soil amendment/substitute. BASF came upwith a method of regenerating perlite filter aid,described in patent #8,394,279, while Mr. Zheng,in unassigned patent #8,425,819, teaches amethod of creating a shaped soil medium. Noloose material for him!

Even if none of the listed patents generates anysales for Perlite Institute members, they keeppushing the boundaries of perlite thinking,production and applications. Thanks forcontinuing this journey with me.

Patents: Two Thumbs Up continued from page 15

If your vehicle is stuck onan icy hill and cannotgain traction, simplysprinkle this mix ofingredients, includingperlite, on the groundand you are good to go!

Report from the China Perlite Conference 2012by Matthew MalaghanIndustrial Processors Limited, Australian Perlite Pty Limited

I was privileged to be invited to speak at the ChinaPerlite Association Conference in Xi’an in October2012. This was the 24th conference held by theassociation, and it ran over three days.

Attendance was strong with more than 200delegates representing local perlite miningcompanies, expanders, machinery suppliers andperlite end-users.

As I engaged withdelegates during my timeat the meeting, I wasinterested to learn thatmore than 100 newexpanders were commissioned in the 12 monthspreceding the meeting, in part due to continuingdevelopment occurring in China, but mostly to the

requirement of building authorities thatconstruction, where possible, use lightweightadditives.

Total tonnage processed in China was difficult to

The Chinese perliteindustry is certainly wellsupported and growingquickly.

Continued on page 17

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 17

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PerliteEditor@hotmail.com.

confirm, but it appears to be wellover one million metric tons.

The use of electric furnaces isprevalent, and the ore used gives adense, heavy product around120kg/m3 for coarse grade.

The Chinese perlite industry iscertainly well supported andgrowing quickly. 

China Perlite Conference Continued from page 16

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 18

Q: I want to apply for ISO certification for perliteblocks. Which standards would I apply for?

A: In the past, certification for perlite blocks wouldhave fallen under the ISO 9002 category.  Now ithas been consolidated into 9001. More informationis available at http://the9000store.com/what-is-iso-9002.aspx. The certification requires extensiveeffort, and you should have the process andproducts well established before undertaking suchan effort. The key is to say what is done and thendo it in that fashion, and this requires experiencein the process wellbeforehand. It isadvantageous to workwith an outsideconsulting firmexperienced in the ISOareas in mineral andassociated processing.Other areas, such aselectronics and aerospace, are overly detailed andnot appropriate for the construction materialsindustry. Because the process requires regularinspections by both interior and exterior auditors,it is a long-term commitment.  

Q: We are building a straw bale house and arethinking about using perlite instead of foamunder the cement slabs in the basement. Whatcan you tell me about this use?

A: Underslab insulation with perlite can provideinsulation from 3 to 25 R, depending on thequantity used. Perlite is dimensionally stable whenused in the proper way. More information isavailable at www.perlite.org/library-perlite-info/insulation-perlite/Perlite-underslab-insulation.pdf

Q: What are the advantages of perlite blocksover AAC blocks?

A: Perlite concrete blocks are manufactured usingperlite, aggregate, cement, sand, water, polyesterfibers and a small quantity of air entraining agent.Aerated concrete consists of cement, water andsand with 20 percent volume of air entrainingagent. The high air content (voids) in AAC blockswill reduce the strength and increase shrinkagecompared to perlite concrete. Autoclaving at hightemperature and pressure will improve the

strength and reduce the shrinkage, but theconcrete becomes more rigid and is likely todevelop cracks in the long run.

Autoclaved aerated concrete can be used only forfactory fabricated blocks and is not suitable for insitu concrete. Perliteconcrete, on the otherhand, can be used forboth. Also autoclavinghas high energyrequirements.

Perlite concrete blocksoffer better resistance toseismic forces(earthquakes), wind pressure and fire thanautoclaved aerated concrete. In addition, aeratedconcrete blocks have lower durability than perliteconcrete. Because the oven-dry density of perliteconcrete blocks is lower than autoclaved aeratedconcrete blocks, the thermal properties of perliteare better. Finally, perlite concrete blocks exhibitbetter surface strength than autoclaved aeratedblocks.

Q: What is the thermal conductivity of the 8-inch hollow perlite block?

A: The 8-inch lightweight block has an R factor of2.9; if the dual core is filled with expanded perlitewith a density of ~ 7, the R factor increases to 9.

Q: What expanded perlite products would bepreferred for liquids/spill pickup with perlite?

A: Historically, a building-product, expanded-sizematerial has been used for such applications. Thissize material flows well and isn’t very dusty whensprinkled over the spill and swept in to absorb theliquid. There are times when water is added todedust the material as is done at times withhorticultural products. Fine light perlite and FAtype material have been generally much too dustyfor such applications. 

Want to see more? Have your own question forChuck Vogelsang, the Perlite Institute’s technicalspokesperson? Visit the Perlite Institute Facebookpage at http://tinyurl.com/Perlite-Institute-Facebook or the LinkedIn Group athttp://tinyurl.com/Perlite-Institute-LinkedIn oremail techadvice@perlite.org.

Technical Q&As

Perlite concrete blocksoffer better resistanceto seismic forces(earthquakes), windpressure and fire thanautoclaved aeratedconcrete.The certification requires

extensive effort, andyou should have theprocess and productswell established before undertaking such an effort.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 19

This year’s 65th Annual Perlite Institute meeting,scheduled for Sept. 29 through Oct. 2 in Sydney,Australia, promises to be an educational andexciting event filled with workshops, speakers,tours and networking.

Our member hosts from Ausperl Pty Limited,Matthew Malaghan and Andrew Anderson, havebeen working closely with the Meetings andMembership Committee to bring attendees avariety of speakers and topics. Some of the topicsto be explored during the conference are:

• The Usage of Perlite in the LightweightRefractory Market

• Perlite Mining in New Zealand

• Perlite as a Replacement for Saw Dust as aGrowing Media for Cucumbers

• Perlite as a Substrate for Commercial FlowerProduction

• An Update on Current and Future Trends forBulk Sacks

• Handling Lightweight Powders

• Winery Applications of Perlite – with tastingincluded!

During the meeting, attendees will have theopportunity to tour the Ausperl Perlite facility onTuesday, Oct. 1. Nestled in the heart of Australia’slargest city, Australian Perlite’s Banksmeadowplant uses every square inch of its floor plan toproduce 30 tons per day of filter aid, horticulturaland structural grades of perlite. Intricate recycleand separation techniques create a variety ofgrades specific to the Australian market. Amodular and portable expander gives theflexibility to produce horticultural, constructionand even onsite cryogenic expansion.

In addition to the education sessions at themeeting, attendees will enjoy a harbor cruise witha welcome reception and take a tour of Sydney

News from the Perlite Institute

Join yourfellowPerliteInstitutemembersin Sydney,Australia,Sept. 29throughOct. 2.

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Continued on page 20

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 20

and its beaches. Spouses will also embark on aspecial shopping excursion of their own to localshops and eateries.

Don’t miss this remarkable event down under!More information is available in the conferencebrochure. Registration information is availableonline.

Member Benefit Spotlight:Committee Service

All nonprofit organizations relyheavily on their members toassist with activities that areidentified as important for the positive direction ofthe organizations. We are working to developactive committees within the Perlite Institute andwould like to ask you to volunteer your time and

talent to the organization.

Committees typically meet by conference call andemail and call each other to communicate. Theaverage amount of time devoted to committeeinvolvement is two to four hours each month. Themore volunteers we have on committees, the moresuccessful we will be as an organization.

Please volunteer to serve on a Perlite Institutecommittee today. Just complete the Willingness toServe form and return it to the Perlite Instituteoffice at the address printed on the form.

Help Us Make Your Newsletter Even More Useful

Perlite Today features news on patents, mergersand acquisitions, the latest happenings in variouscomponents of the industry, and updates on themany services offered by the Perlite Institute. Thequarterly e-newsletter also prints a schedule ofupcoming events, trade shows and meetings aswell as technical Q&As. What else would you liketo see? Are we missing something? What otherkinds of articles would you like to read about inPerlite Today? Do you have other suggestions onarticles to improve this publication?

Please help us make Perlite Today the mostrelevant and useful it can be for you, our members.Email your ideas and any leads you may have forfuture articles to the editor, Amy, atPerliteEditor@hotmail.com. We hope to hear fromyou soon with your suggestions.

Good Product Photos Needed

The Communications Committee is seeking photosfor brochures to be updated or revised. Photosrelated to the following topics are needed:

• Horticultural—numerous

• Masonry fill

• Texture

• Adsorption

Send your photos to communications@perlite.org.

Continued from page 19

News from the Perlite Institute

Hotel Accommodations

If you haven’t done so yet, make your hotelreservations for the meeting as soon aspossible to ensure a room at the host hotel,the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay.

Attendees must make their own reservationsby calling +612 9252 4600 or emailingreservations@sscq.stamford.com.au. It isrecommended that you call the hotel to makereservations during normal business hours of8 a.m. and 5 p.m. AEST (Australian EasternStandard Time). After-hours calling times arenot guaranteed to have reservation staffavailable.

Please mention the “Perlite Institute” groupname and the conference dates to takeadvantage of the rate of $275 for singleoccupancy and $283 for double occupancythat is offered during the conference dates.There is no cut-off date for reservations, butrates are subject to availability. Quoted rate isavailable during the conference only;however, the hotel’s reservations team willoffer the rate if there is availability. Dailybreakfast vouchers and taxes are includedwith your room rate. Check-in time is 3 p.m.,and check-out time is 11 a.m.

During the month ofJune, the PerliteInstitute website had1,936 visits and4,358 page views. Ofthe visits, 74 percentwere new.

Perlite Today—SUMMER 2013 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 21

Opening ClosingDate Date Name of Show Location Website

7/31/13 8/1/13 Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Philadelphia, PA http://www.pantshow.com/Pennsylvania Convention Center

8/15/13 8/17/13 Nursery & Landscape Expo Dallas, TX http://www.nurserylandscapeexpo.orgDallas Convention Center

8/20/13 8/22/13 Independent Garden Center Show Chicago, IL http://igcshow.com/igc2013/public/Navy Pier enter.aspx

8/21/13 8/24/13 Plantarium Boskoop, NL http://www.plantarium.nl/Page/nctrue/International Trade Centre ml2/index.html

8/22/13 8/24/13 Farwest Show Portland, Ore. www.farwestshow.comOregon Convention Center

9/3/13 9/4/13 Four Oaks Trade Show Cheshire, UK www.fouroaks-tradeshow.comNear Jodrell Bank Observatory

9/10/13 9/12/13 PU China Nanjing, China www.puchina.euNanjing International Expo Centre

9/19/13 9/21/13 Landscape Show Orlando, FL http://www.fngla.org/thelandscapeshow/Orange County Convention Center

9/29/13 10/2/13 Perlite Institute Annual Meeting Sydney, Australia www.perlite.org

10/6/13 10/11/13 International Garden Centre Association Melbourne, Australia www.igcacongress.comCongress Various sites

10/22/13 10/24/13 Filtech Wiesbaden, Germany http://www.filtech.de/Rhein-Main-Hallen

10/23/13 10/26/13 Green Roof & Wall Conference San Francisco, Calif. www.citiesalive.orgCities Alive San Francisco Marriott Marquis

11/12/13 11/14/13 Filtration Chicago, Ill. http://www.inda.org/inda-events/events-calendar/?Navy Pier

11/14/13 11/15/13 Green Industry Show Edmonton, Alberta, Canada www.greenindustryshow.comEdmonton Expo Centre

12/4/13 12/6/13 Construct Canada Toronto, Ontario, Canada www.constructcanada.com/pre_show/index.phpMetro Toronto Convention Centre

1/21/14 1/24/14 World of Concrete Las Vegas, Nev. www.worldofconcrete.comLas Vegas Convention Center

1/22/14 1/24/14 Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition Fort Lauderdale, Fla. www.fngla.org/TPIE/Convention Center

Selected Upcoming Trade Shows and Meetings