Research & Technical Background

Environmental Minerals Inc. (“EMI”) produces high-purity Class “N” natural pozzolan from a large volcanic-ash ore body in Southern California. This page provides a concise technical overview of our material together with selected external resources on pozzolan, low-carbon concrete and related standards.

Natural Pozzolan – Technical Overview

EMI’s ore body is a homogeneous volcanic-ash deposit with high silica and alumina content and low impurities, qualifying as a premium Class “N” pozzolan. When blended with Portland cement, the material reacts with calcium hydroxide to form additional calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H), increasing long-term compressive strength and durability while reducing permeability and embodied CO2.

Independent testing has confirmed:

  • Compliance with ASTM C618 requirements for Class “N” natural pozzolan.
  • Crystalline-silica-free composition and low loss on ignition (LOI).
  • High reactivity and strong performance at replacement levels up to 50 – 75% of OPC in mortar testing.

Infrastructure Applications

EMI’s natural pozzolan is engineered for use as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in demanding infrastructure applications such as:

  • Highways, bridges and transportation structures.
  • Public-works and water-infrastructure projects.
  • Port and coastal structures exposed to chlorides and sulfates.
  • Large-format commercial and industrial buildings.
  • Renewable-energy foundations, data-centre slabs and rail infrastructure.

The material supports specifiers and ready-mix producers targeting long service life, lower life-cycle cost and compliance with emerging low-carbon concrete specifications.

Environmental & Agricultural Benefits

In addition to its role in concrete, the mineral profile of EMI’s volcanic ash supports promising agricultural applications. Its fine particle size and porous structure can enhance water retention, improve soil structure and support more resilient crop production in arid and semi-arid environments.

EMI is actively evaluating dual-use programmes in which a single ore body supports both high-performance concrete and regenerative agriculture, aligning industrial development with environmental stewardship.

Policy, ESG & Market Context

The shift from traditional fly ash toward high-quality natural pozzolan is being accelerated by:

  • Federal and state initiatives promoting low-carbon concrete and infrastructure resilience.
  • Declining availability and variable quality of coal-derived fly ash.
  • ESG-driven procurement requirements for public and private projects.
  • Institutional demand for domestic, traceable SCM supply chains.

EMI’s deposit, logistics profile and compliance record position the company as a long-term domestic supplier of strategic SCMs and related industrial minerals.

Selected External Resources

The resources below provide additional independent background on pozzolans, SCMs and concrete performance:

  • Natural Pozzolan Association – industry information on natural pozzolans, case studies and specifications.
  • American Concrete Institute (ACI) – technical documents and standards related to pozzolans and supplementary cementitious materials.
  • State DOT and federal guidance on SCM use in transportation and infrastructure projects (see relevant DOT and FHWA publications).

Technical Documents & Data

Detailed geology, drilling, assay and performance reports are available to qualified counterparties and project partners on request, including:

  • Geologic and tonnage reports for the Southern California ore body.
  • Independent Class “N” performance-testing results.
  • Environmental and permitting documentation.
  • Technical briefs on agricultural and water-retention applications.

To request access to technical data or discuss project-specific requirements, please contact EMI via the Contact page.

CEME'T-POZZ CEME'T-POZZ | Environmental Minerals Inc ENVIRONMENTAL MINERALS INC | Twitter