Minerals Technology Inc.

The article offers information on the U.S. production, consumption and trade of talc and pyrophyllite in 2008. The chemical properties of the two minerals are presented. While Piedmont Minerals Co. and Standard Mineral Co. are the primary producers of pyrophyllite in the U.S., while Rio Tinto Minerals is the leading producer of talc in the country. The volume of talc exported by the U.S. in 2008 is said to have rose 20 percent and that Canada is the recipient of 48 percent of the country's total export tonnage. In addition, 31 percent of the total sales of talc comes from the ceramics industry.