Thiele Kaolin Company

Thiele headquarters are located in Sandersville, Georgia.

For directions and contact information, click here.

Reserves

Thiele's abundant kaolin reserves and efficient mining process assure customers of a constant supply of the highest quality kaolin. 

The Clay Process

Our products go through at least 25 steps before they reach our customers.

Tested to Perform

At Thiele, we know the value of performance. Our products are evaluated in our extensive research and paper application labs to ensure success in your mill.

Quality is Key

Tailored products are our specialty. Thiele’s Quality Assurance facility ensures that our products meet your needs.

How does KAOROCK™ work?

During the cement hydration process, water reacts with Portland cement to form calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH). A by-product of this reaction is the formation of calcium hydroxide, or lime. This lime is the weak link in concrete, and it reduces the effect of the CSH. When KAOROCK™ is present in the hydration process, it reacts with the free lime to form additional CSH material, thereby making the concrete stronger and more durable (see equations below).
 
Portland Cement + Water = Cementitious Materials + Lime
 
Lime + KAOROCK™ = Additional Cementitous Materials


A recent, independent laboratory study of mortar pastes demonstrates the ability for KAOROCK™ to react with the free lime at early stages in the curing process (See Figure ‘a’ below). For the control, pastes were made without any pozzolanic material, and then KAOROCK™ and silica fume replaced a portion of the Portland cement (8% and 15%). The pastes containing KAOROCK™ showed higher heats of evolution than the control mix or silica fume.
 
Silica fume reduced both the rate of heat evolution and the total heat evolved, likely due to the removal of cement from the system. Further, silica fume rate curves follow the same general profile as the control, with the first peak, corresponding to the CSH hydration, reaching higher than the second peak (C3A). This reflects dilution of the cement hydration and indicates that there is little secondary reaction occurring at these early ages.