Which minerals does PHS Magnum transport by silo trailer?

We specialise in five groups: (1) hydrated lime Ca(OH)₂ — flue gas cleaning, neutralisation, water treatment; (2) ground chalk CaCO₃ — plastics fillers, paper, paints; (3) magnesium talc — cosmetics, rubber, plasticisers; (4) bentonite — foundries, drilling, absorbents; (5) Tonsil 571 FF — bleaching of edible oils. Plus granulated urea, carbon black, coal dust. We do NOT transport cement or gypsum.

Why a silo trailer for minerals rather than an ordinary truck?

Bulk minerals require pneumatic unloading into the consignee's silos — chemical plants, flue gas treatment facilities and paper mills do not have big-bag infrastructure. A silo trailer with aeration pads pushes 25 tonnes of material into the customer's silo in 60-90 min. Plus the tightness of the chamber protects the material from moisture (critical for lime and chalk).

What payloads do we achieve with minerals?

It depends on bulk density: hydrated lime (0.55 g/cm³ loose, 1.4 g/cm³ compacted) — 24-28 tonnes in 30-40 m³, GVW-limited. Ground chalk (0.9-1.4 g/cm³) — 25-28 tonnes in 20-30 m³. Talc (0.3-0.8 g/cm³) — 22-25 tonnes in 30-50 m³ (depending on grinding). Bentonite (0.8-1.1 g/cm³) — 24-27 tonnes in 22-35 m³. Tonsil (0.55 g/cm³) — 24 tonnes in 30-35 m³. The limit is almost always the 40 t GVW, not the 55–65 m³ silo trailer volume.

Do minerals contaminate a silo trailer used for polymers?

Yes, which is why we require wet chamber washing before the next polymer load. Hydrated lime is strongly alkaline (pH 12+) — residues in the aeration pads can distort the pH measurement at the polymer end customer. Chalk CaCO₃ is neutral but visually contaminates (white traces in PE). Talc and bentonite — medium compatibility. Standard PHS Magnum procedure: silo trailers dedicated to minerals (which periodically carry lime/chalk) vs those dedicated to polymers (Schmidt Polska).

Can I order transport of food-grade lime or chalk?

Yes — we handle food-grade ground chalk and food lime under a food-grade procedure (ECTA code A): wet washing with a food-grade detergent, drying to RH <10%, a CEFIC cleanliness certificate. A silo trailer with a food-grade certificate is required (we have 2 dedicated certified Schmidt Polska trailers in the fleet). Notification 72h before loading, coordination with the wash facility.

Do you handle ADR for hydrated lime?

Hydrated lime as a dry powder can fall into ADR class 8 (corrosive substances) — depending on CaO concentration and packaging. A typical particle size <0.1 mm dust = certain class 8 forms. PHS Magnum handles class 8 lime with a suitable ADR silo trailer + driver qualifications. For non-ADR lime (e.g. granulated hydrated lime CL 90-S) — a standard silo trailer.

From where does PHS Magnum deliver minerals to DACH customers?

Loading mainly from Polish mines and chemical plants: Lhoist Bukowa (lime), Trzuskawica (hydrated lime), Omya Włocławek (chalk), the Jelenia Góra Talc Mine, Bentonit Strzelin. Plus re-export of materials imported into Poland (e.g. talc from Pakistan via the port of Gdańsk). Delivery to end customers in DE/AT via the A4 corridor → Zgorzelec border crossing → German motorways.

What is the delivery schedule for regular customers?

For customers with regular demand (>50 t/month), a standard framework agreement with a monthly slot. Example: a chemical plant in Germany takes 80-100 t of lime every week — slot Tuesday-Friday, delivery typically Thursday-Friday. Fixed rate per tonne, monthly invoicing, priority in the schedule. Reactive deliveries (one-off, in peak periods) — individual quote, slot subject to availability.

20.02.2025

Silo Transport of Lime, Chalk, Talc – Bulk Minerals

Silo trailers in the PHS Magnum service hall before departing with a load of bulk minerals — lime, chalk, talc for the DACH chemical industry

In brief

Bulk minerals (lime, chalk, talc, bentonite) are a stable segment of silo trailer transport — low raw material price volatility, regular demand from the chemical and ceramics industries, long contracts. PHS Magnum delivers minerals both to customers in Poland and to DACH consignees.

Material	Bulk density	Typical payload	Main applications
Hydrated lime	0.55-1.4 g/cm³	24-28 t	Flue gas cleaning, chemicals
Ground chalk CaCO₃	0.9-1.4 g/cm³	25-28 t	Fillers, paper, paints
Magnesium talc	0.3-0.8 g/cm³	22-25 t	Cosmetics, rubber, plasticisers
Bentonite	0.8-1.1 g/cm³	24-27 t	Foundries, drilling
Tonsil 571 FF	0.55 g/cm³	24 t	Bleaching of edible oils

Hydrated lime Ca(OH)₂

Characteristics and applications

Hydrated (slaked) lime, Ca(OH)₂, is produced by the reaction of quicklime CaO + H₂O. White, slightly alkaline (pH 12.4 in saturated solution). Two main types:

CL 90-S (>90% Ca(OH)₂, standard) — particle size 90-95% below 90 µm
CL 80-S (80-89% Ca(OH)₂, lower purity) — similar particle size

Main producers in Poland

Lhoist Bukowa (Lesser Poland voivodeship)
Trzuskawica (Świętokrzyskie voivodeship)
Lhoist Czechia (re-export from the Czech portfolio of the Lhoist Group)

Main applications

Flue gas cleaning (DeSOx) — coal and biomass power plants inject lime into flue gases to absorb SO₂. The German power industry = a large buyer of Polish lime.
Acid neutralisation in the chemical industry — fertiliser production, treatment of process wastewater
Drinking water treatment — municipal waterworks for pH regulation
Ground stabilisation in construction — subgrade stabilisation for roads and motorways

Transport parameters

Dryness required — lime reacts with moisture (exothermically), generating flammable dust
Silo trailer chamber sealed during transport
Wet chamber washing between loads (especially before polymers)
Some concentrations can fall into ADR class 8 — requires an ADR-certified silo trailer

Ground chalk (CaCO₃)

Characteristics

Natural or precipitated chalk, finely ground. Particle size 1-10 µm for the most common grades. Very low chemical activity (neutral pH), low abrasiveness (with appropriate grinding).

Main producers in Poland

Omya Włocławek (part of the Swiss Omya group, the global calcium carbonate leader)
Calcit Plus (regional)
Imerys (re-export)

Applications

Fillers for plastics (PP, PE, PVC) — typically 15-40% by weight, lowers cost and improves dimensional stability
Paper — filler for alkaline paper pulps
Paints and coatings — an economical filler
Animal feed — a calcium source (food-grade)
Adhesives and sealants — a rheology modifier

Transport parameters

Relatively neutral — low contamination of subsequent loads
Slightly abrasive — aeration pads need replacement more often (3-4 years vs 5-6 for polymers)
Dryness required — chalk cakes at moisture >0.3%
Food-grade variant — a dedicated certified silo trailer

Magnesium talc (Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂)

Characteristics

Hydrated magnesium silicate, a natural mineral. The softest mineral (Mohs hardness 1). Very low bulk density (0.3-0.5 g/cm³ loose), which limits the silo trailer payload to 22-25 tonnes.

Applications

Cosmetics and pharma — powders, cosmetic talc (after medical purification)
Rubber industry — filler in tyres, seals
Plastics — filler in reinforced PP for automotive (dashboards)
Paper — filler and coating
Ceramics — a component of ceramic bodies

Main producers

Poland has one mine (the Jelenia Góra Talc Mine near Świeradów). Most talc is imported from Pakistan, India, Brazil — re-exported through Polish wholesalers.

Transport parameters

Low density = low payload = an economic limitation (the silo trailer rarely reaches the GVW)
Dusting — requires a tight chamber, wiping down after unloading
Low chemical activity — neutral contamination
Cosmetic talc: a silo trailer with a food/medical-grade certificate

Bentonite

Characteristics

A natural montmorillonite clay. Hygroscopic — in the presence of water it swells (up to 10-15× its own volume). It is used precisely because of this property.

Main Polish producers

Bentonit Strzelin (Lower Silesia voivodeship)
Bentonit Wapno
Imports from Italy (Sardinia — IBECO)

Applications

Foundries — sand mix for moulds (bentonite + sand + coal)
Drilling (mud) — bentonite fills drilled holes, stabilises the walls
Absorbents — cat litter, absorbent agents
Landfill sealing — a natural geomembrane
Wine and juice clarification — food-grade bentonite

Transport parameters

Hygroscopic — requires a dry silo trailer and a short transit
Swells on contact with water — a water incident in the chamber = the load goes for disposal
Standard dry cleaning between bentonite loads (easy compatibility)

Tonsil 571 FF (bleaching earth)

Characteristics

A specialised blend of bentonite and attapulgite, acid-activated. Used for refinery bleaching of edible oils — palm, sunflower, soybean, coconut.

Producer: Süd-Chemie / Clariant (the most common Tonsil producer in the EU). Other brands: Tonsiil (BASF), Filtrol, B80 (Engelhard).

Applications

Edible oil refineries in Poland, Germany, the Netherlands (port of Rotterdam)
Special cosmetic applications — bleaching of waxes, premium fats

Transport parameters

Low bulk density (0.55 g/cm³) — payload ~24 t in 35-40 m³
Contamination-sensitive — requires a silo trailer with a dedicated food-grade history
Wet washing with a food-grade detergent before loading
Chamber cleanliness certificate on the CMR

Urea (carbamide) CO(NH₂)₂

Characteristics

A solid form of fertiliser nitrogen (46% N). Granulated — beads 1-3 mm in diameter or prills 1-2 mm. Hygroscopic but to a lesser degree than PA/PET.

Applications

Agricultural fertilisers — direct use or an NPK component
AdBlue — a 32.5% aqueous solution for SCR systems in Euro 6 vehicles (NOTE: liquid AdBlue = tanker, not silo trailer)
Plasticisers and adhesives — an industrial component
Animal feed — a source of non-protein nitrogen

Polish producers

Grupa Azoty Tarnów (the largest in Poland)
Grupa Azoty Police
Anwil Włocławek

Transport parameters

A dry silo trailer is required — moisture >2% = caking risk
Slightly hygroscopic — a shorter maximum transit time (<48h at ambient RH >70%)
Dry cleaning between loads is essential

Other chemical bulk materials

Carbon black

A very light material (density 0.3-0.5 g/cm³). Silo trailer payload: 18-25 tonnes (volume-limited). Applications: tyres, inks, plasticisers. Some dusty particle size grades fall into ADR class 4.1 (flammable solids) — requires an ADR silo trailer.

Coal dust

Finely ground hard or brown coal. Power generation (pulverised solid fuels). Classification depends on the grade (pure dust vs blends). Flammable dust = ADR class 4.1.

Logistics — typical scenarios

Scenario 1: Lime from Bukowa to a power plant in Germany

Loading: Lhoist Bukowa mine (Lesser Poland voivodeship)
Distance to Chorula: 250 km (3-4 h)
Route Chorula → Brandenburg (power plant in Schwarzheide): 6-7 h
Total: 12-15 h from the mine to the power plant’s silo
Volume: 1 silo trailer, 25 t per delivery, 3-5 deliveries per week

Scenario 2: Omya chalk to a paper mill in Czechia

Loading: Omya Włocławek
Distance Włocławek → Chorula: 350 km (4-5 h)
Route Chorula → Ostrava (CZ): 3-4 h
Total: 7-9 h
Volume: regular 50-80 t/week

Scenario 3: Tonsil 571 FF to an oil refinery in DE

Loading: Clariant distributor in Poland (Wrocław)
Route Wrocław → Chorula → Hamburg: ~1,100 km, 14-15 h
Requirement: a food-grade silo trailer with dedicated washing
Volume: 20-30 t/month (a mid-scale refinery)

Seasonality of the minerals market

Some minerals show clear seasonality:

Hydrated lime — peak autumn/winter (DeSOx season at power plants + ground stabilisation for road construction in autumn)
Bentonite — peak spring/summer (drilling season and surface roads)
Chalk — stable year-round (plastics and paper production without seasonality)
Talc — stable, a slight Q3 peak (preparation for the cosmetics season)

For regular customers: capacity planning at PHS Magnum 2-3 months in advance accounts for seasonality.

Quality requirements of mineral customers

Customer	Requirement	PHS Magnum standard
Power plant (DeSOx)	Dry silo trailer	Dry cleaning + RH check
Paper mills	No pigment contamination	A dedicated chalk silo trailer
Cosmetics manufacturer	Food/cosmetic-grade	Wet washing + CEFIC certificate
Foundries	No moisture	Dry cleaning with a certificate
Agriculture (urea)	No caking	Dry chamber, short transit time