About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Aluminum Reduction Technology
|
| Presentation Title |
Thermite Risk From Dolomite Aggregate in Potroom Basement Concrete |
| Author(s) |
Brian Zukas |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Brian Zukas |
| Abstract Scope |
Warnings against the use of limestone as an aggregate in potline basement concrete were first highlighted in 1987 after Comalco’s Boyne Island Smelter observed that metal spilled onto the basement floor from pot tap-outs were initiating thermite type reactions. Dolomite is a common mineral that also finds use as an aggregate in concrete. Being a carbonate-based mineral it is capable of initiating a thermite reaction with molten aluminum, just as limestone is. Due to this risk, the use of dolomite as an aggregate material should also be prohibited in molten metal areas. For smelters that do not have detailed records of the aggregate used in their concrete, a simple sampling and analysis procedure can be used to identify the type of aggregate present. If dolomite or other carbonate-based materials are found, reaction plans should be developed to mitigate the risk to safety and operations that they pose. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Light Metals |
| Keywords |
Aluminum, Other, Other |