At the just concluded Science Technology (FMST) Exposition Fair 2021, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) again emerged over-all best, winning top prize in the Research Institutes category on talc. BINTA SHAMA reports.
The Council’s research on production of Industrial material the RMRDC Pharmaceutical Grades Talc from Talc Ore won the top prize in a category which included the participation of exhibitors drawn from Nigeria’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) community, Tertiary Institutions and Colleges, the Nigerian Military and the organized private sectors, among others.
Talc as a solid mineral
Making an official presentation at the event, the Director-General RMRDC, Professor Hussaini Doko Ibrahim described Talc as a solid mineral which has a wide variety of uses in the paint ceramics, pharmaceutical, paper, rubber, cosmetics, textile and insecticides industries. Nigeria has more than 40 million tonnes of talc deposits located in Niger, Osun, Kogi, Ogun and Kaduna states. To promote talc processing in Nigeria, the Council collaborated with the Niger State Government for the establishment of catalytic model factory at Kagara which was commissioned and later divested. Most of the equipment were locally fabricated. The plant has installed capacity of 3000 tonnes a year of processed talc. The components of the plant are jaw crusher, hammer mill, electromagnetic separator, conditioning tank, floatation cells, bleaching washing and settling tanks hydraulic press, distingrator, flash dryer, ball mill and storage silo.
Professor Ibrahim said the Council’s intervention led to the emergence of other talc processing SMEs within Niger and Kogi states that supply processed talc to user industries. This has led to Nigeria being self-sufficient in technical grade talc for these industries and N1 billion saved annually from the ban on importation of technical grade talc. The Council also collaborated with Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai in the characterization of talc and other industrial minerals in Niger and Kogi States. The results have been published for investors use.
High grade talc still being imported
He said, “Although Nigeria is self-sufficient in technical grade talc, however, high grade talc used in the pharmaceutical and toiletries and cosmetic industries are still being imported. Nigeria still imports over 50,000 metric tonnes of high-grade talc powder per annum which is over 95% of the talc used by the pharmaceutical, toiletries and cosmetics industries with local production contributing only 5%. “
In this regard, the RMRDC Boss said the Council has collaborated with allied agencies including SHESTCO to develop a process technology for the production of this grade.
“The product of this initiative has undergone industrial test at Smithkline and Unilever industries and met the specifications of these industries. In addition, ferric oxide, a by-product from the high-grade talc processing also met the specification for match production as confirmed by Associated Match Industries Nig. Ltd. Ibadan. The patenting of this technology is in progress.
“If for instance 10 investors are willing to invest in the processing of high-grade talcum powder even at 2000 metric tonnes per annum, for the pharmaceutical, toiletries and cosmetics industries utilization, the country will become self-sufficient in high grade talcum powder. Furthermore, the by-product (ferric oxide) produced will increase the local production of safety matches from 2% to 12%,” the DG said.
Talc Processing plant
Achievements
Speaking further, Professor Ibrahim said the Council has successfully completed the R&D for the development of a process technology for the production of Pharmaceutical Grade Talc. The Talc powder produced met all specifications for pharmaceutical and industrial grades. Ferric oxide, a by-product from the process was sent to a match industry for industrial test and was reported to have met industrial specifications. Further work is on-going for upgrading of the technology to pilot scale for commercialization. The technology has been patented.
Talc market: Growth factors
On the market application of talc for products formulation, the RMRDC Boss said escalating the use of the Yalc in paints & coatings, pharmaceuticals, plastics, ceramics, personal care & cosmetics, paper & pulp, pharmaceuticals, and food will impel the market trends. According to him, Talc powder helps in raising creep resistance, rigidity, impact resistance, thermal conduction, chemical resistance, and stiffness in vehicles, household equipment, electronic & electrical and engineering plastics. Additionally, the market is likely to gain traction over the years with its wide commercial utilization due to its purity, softness, retention of fragrance, and whiteness.
Clarifying further, Prof Ibrahim averred that burgeoning demand for lightweight plastic components of vehicles made from talc reinforced polypropylene to enhance vehicle performance, fuel efficacy, and durability will impel the business scope. Beneficial features such as corrosive resistance and resistant against abrasiveness is anticipated to make talc more popular across the globe. He added that population explosion witnessed in the emerging economies along with rise in the per capita income of middle-income group population in these economies has transformed into lucrative demand for consumer items like ceramics, pharmaceuticals, and ceramics. This will propel the product demand. In addition to this, the thriving manufacturing as well as service sectors will propel the market growth.
Raw materials
● Talc Ore
● Sulphuric acid
● Sodium Hydroxide
Machinery and Equipment
1. Jaw Crusher
2. Rotary Screen
3. Hammer Mill with Classifier
4. Ball Mill
5. Floatation Cell
6. Bleaching tanks
7. Hydrocyclone Assembly
8. Filter Press complete with Slurry pumps
9. Disintegrator
10. Flash driers
11. Magnetic Separators
Talc processing
Mining:
The RMRDC DG further described Talc as a common component of the gangue mineral associated with the recovery of platinum from ores. He said Talc deposits are most commonly formed by the hydrothermal or metamorphic alteration of the pre-existing rocks like tremolite, instatite, and other magnesium minerals. And that the deposits are worked by open cast by the bench mining techniques or underground mining methods using mechanical excavators which depend on the mode of the occurrence and the type of deposits. Commercial talc is mined in a variety of ways, including straight forward drill, blast and open pit operations. After mining the talc ore is washed which removes dirt in the form of foreign particles and other impurities by sand washing machine and then naturally dried under the sunlight. After drying it is dressed and sorted depending on their Talc content and brightness by using techniques like laser and image analysis technology or floatation.
Milling:
Speaking further on the industrial processing of Talc, the DG said the milling is done to obtain super micro talc powder of the right particle size distribution curve. This involves crushing with the Jaw Crusher, Cone Crusher or an impact crusher and screened. The crusher reduces the Talc ore into 2mm while the coarse (oversize) material is returned back to the crusher. Secondary grinding is done with pebble mills or roller mills to produce particles having 44 to 149 micrometres (325 to 100 mesh) in size. The product is collected in cyclones and bagged. Dust is controlled by bag house dust collectors. The Roller mills use heated air to dry the material as it is being ground. Sometimes, hammer mills or steam or compressed air powered jet mills may be used to produce additional final products.
Said he, “Talc is obtained from the metamorphism of magnesium minerals such as the Serpentine, Pyroxene, Amphibole, Olivine, in the presence of Carbon Dioxide and Water which is known as Talc Carbonation or Schematization. Mostly the hydration and carbonation of serpentine results in the formation of talc via the following reaction. Talc is also produced by the alteration of Dolomite in the presence of excess dissolved Silica (SiO2). This involves scarification of the Dolomites via silica-flooding in contact metamorphic aureoles. Talc can be formed from magnesium chlorite and quartz in blueschist and eclogite metamorphism via the following metamorphic reaction.
Sieving & packaging, grinding/milling
“Talc ore in its natural state is unsuitable for its pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Hence up gradation techniques such as floatation, Chlorination & Leaching are needed to improve the chemical purity and colour.”
Presenting the award, Dr Ogbonnaya, Honourable Minister Science and technology (FMST), said he was delighted at the turn-up of participants, especially from the informal sector, who made significant contributions to the development of Science, technology and Innovation.
He added, “Research is not only to be done in the laboratories. Your room and even your kitchen can to some extent serve as laboratories.”
Onu commended President Buhari, for awarding scholarships up to Ph.D to winners of 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential awards and urged State and Local governments to continue to encouraging their students who emerged winners at the competition.
Speaking further, the FMST boss, noted that Nigerians are some of the most intelligent people in the world, and expressed confidence that some of the innovations displayed at the EXPO will soon be commercialized to help the country realize its economic diversification agenda.
In keeping with the plan to move the STI EXPO to various geo-political regions of the country, he announced that the next edition will be held at the South-West geo-political region of the country, While the venue will be announced shortly.
The FMST organised week-long expo, which is the fifth in the series featured the participation of exhibitors drawn from Nigeria’s Science, technology and Innovation (STI) community, Tertiary Institutions and Colleges, The Nigerian Military and the Organised Private Sectors, among others. Exhibitors were assessed by an Assessment and Award Sub-Committee set up by the FMST.
Assessment of exhibitors was based on the templates of: Originality (Novelty/New), creativity/Innovativeness, cost Effective and Efficiency, Local Raw Material content; design, finishing and labeling. Other considerations were clarity and thoroughness (fluency of written and oral presentation), reproducibility (replicability) and adaptability; patent stage (stage of obtaining patent); and contribution to national economic growth and sustainable development (Relevance to Agriculture, Power, Health, Transportation, Mining, Environment, etc.), including potential for commercialisation.
