Perlite
Perlite is a volcanic glass that holds a small amount of water locked in its structure. Heated quickly past its softening point, that water flashes to steam and blows the softened glass into a froth of sealed bubbles, expanding the rock many times in volume into a light white granule. The crude rock is mined and sized at origin and the expansion is usually done close to the point of use, because expanded perlite is mostly air and expensive to freight. Expanded perlite is used as a horticultural growing medium and soil conditioner, as a lightweight aggregate in plaster, mortar and insulating board, as cryogenic and industrial insulation, as a filter aid in brewing, food and pharmaceutical filtration, and as a filler in paints, coatings and refractories.
Listed perlite markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
A perlite contract turns on whether the material is crude or expanded, on the sizing of the crude ore, and on the expansion behaviour, because the value of the rock is the volume it makes when it is fired.
Physical properties
15 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Material stateDeclared, as crude ore or expanded product | The first term on any contract. Crude ore is sold by weight and expanded product effectively by volume, and they are different trades. |
| Expansion ratioReported as the ratio of expanded volume to crude volume, at the stated furnace conditions | Determined in a laboratory expansion furnace under the method named in the contract. It is the commercial measure of what the rock is worth. |
| Loose bulk density of the expanded productKilograms per cubic metre | The defining grade term for expanded perlite. Every application is written to a density band. |
| Bulk density of the crude oreKilograms per cubic metre | Loose and tapped, setting the hold, the silo and the freight. |
| Combined water contentPercentage by mass | Determined by ignition loss at the stated temperature. It is the water that drives the expansion, and too little or too much both spoil the yield. |
| Free moisturePercentage by mass, maximum | Determined by oven drying. Free moisture is fuel cost in the expander and a handling problem in the silo. |
| Softening and expansion temperatureDegrees Celsius | The furnace window in which the rock expands properly. It is a processing term the expander sets its plant to. |
| Thermal conductivityWatts per metre kelvin, at the stated mean temperature | Measured on the expanded product. The performance term for insulation grades, including cryogenic service. |
| Compressive strength and crush resistance of the expanded granuleKilopascals, or percentage volume loss under the stated load | Whether the granule survives being mixed into a plaster or loaded into a tank annulus. |
| Water holding capacity and air filled porosityPercentage by volume | The horticultural grade terms. They decide how a growing medium drains and breathes. |
| Permeability of the filter cakeDarcies | For filter aid grades, the flow rate the cake supports. It is the primary filtration grade term. |
| Wet cake densityKilograms per cubic metre | For filter aid grades, the mass of dry aid needed to build a given cake volume. |
| Brightness and whitenessISO brightness under ISO 2470, and colour in the CIE space | For filler and filtration grades where appearance and clarity matter. |
| Attrition and dust generationPercentage by mass, against the named method | How much of the expanded product breaks down to fines in handling. |
| pH of a water extractpH units | Determined on a slurry at the stated solids. Relevant to horticultural and filtration use. |
Chemical assay
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SilicaPercentage by mass | Determined by X-ray fluorescence under ISO 12677. The bulk of the glass. |
| AluminaPercentage by mass | The second major oxide, tracking the glass composition. |
| Alkalis as sodium and potassium oxidePercentage by mass | The fluxes that set the softening temperature and therefore the expansion window. |
| Iron as ferric oxidePercentage by mass, maximum | The colour term. It is tightest on filtration and filler grades. |
| Calcium and magnesium oxidePercentage by mass | Minor oxides affecting the softening behaviour. |
| Soluble ironMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | For beverage filtration, where dissolved iron causes haze and off flavour. |
| Soluble salts and conductivityMilligrams per kilogram, and microsiemens per centimetre | Determined on a water extract. A horticultural grade term because salts damage roots. |
| Acid soluble matterPercentage by mass, maximum | What the filter aid gives up to an acidic process stream. |
| Loss on ignitionPercentage by mass | Determined at the stated temperature. |
Particle size and sizing
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sizing of crude oreMillimetres, as the stated band, with the percentage by mass within band | Determined on screens conforming to ISO 3310. The crude size band sets the size of the expanded granule, so it is the grade. |
| Grading of expanded productPercentage by mass retained at each stated aperture | The expanded grade ladder, from coarse horticultural granule down to milled filter aid. |
| Median particle sizeMicrometres | Determined by laser diffraction under ISO 13320 for milled and filter aid grades. |
| Fines below the stated aperturePercentage by mass, maximum | Fines are dust in the expander and they blind a filter cake. |
| OversizePercentage by mass, maximum | Oversize will not expand fully in the residence time of the furnace. |
Contaminants and regulated substances
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Crystalline silicaPercentage by mass | Quartz and cristobalite, the second formed on high temperature expansion. Declared on the safety data sheet and it drives the dust controls. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury against the limit at the destination for the intended use. |
| Food and beverage filtration complianceDeclared, against the named specification | Filter aid entering food, beverage or pharmaceutical processing is supplied against the food additive or pharmacopoeial specification named on the contract. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, maximum | For filter aid and pharmaceutical grades. |
| Horticultural substrate complianceDeclared | Where the perlite is placed on the market as a growing medium, the applicable substrate or fertiliser regulation at the destination. |
Delivery, documentation and certification
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Form and packingDeclared | Bulk, big bags of a stated net weight, paper or polywoven bags palletised and shrink wrapped, or containerised bulk in liners. The pack is a price term because it drives the handling cost at both ends. |
| Moisture at loadingPercentage by mass, maximum | Determined by oven drying on a loading sample. Moisture is paid for as mineral unless the contract sets a dry weight basis, so it is always specified. |
| Weight basisDeclared | Wet or dry metric tonnes, on shipped weight or landed weight, with the survey house named and the draft survey or weighbridge method stated. |
| Sampling and assay protocolDeclared | Who samples, at which point, to what standard, how the sample is split and sealed, and which laboratory umpires a dispute. It is agreed before loading, not after. |
| Transportable moisture limitPercentage by mass | Where the cargo is a group A material under the maritime bulk cargoes code, the flow moisture point and the transportable moisture limit are certified before loading. |
| Safety data sheetDocument, to the globally harmonised system format | Classification, handling and respirable crystalline silica statement, supplied with every consignment. |
| Certificate of analysisDocument, per lot | Issued by the named laboratory against the contract specification, referencing the lot and the sampling record. |
| Regulatory registrationDeclared | Chemical registration at the destination where the mineral requires one, named on the contract. |
| Origin and due diligenceDeclared, with the mine or plant named | Country of origin, the mine or processing plant, and where required the responsible sourcing statement. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Greece | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Europe and Anatolia | Origin and destination |
| United States | North America | Origin and destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| Italy | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | North America | Origin and destination |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Iran | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Russian Federation | Eurasia | Origin and destination |
| Ukraine | Eastern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Kazakhstan | Central Asia | Origin and destination |
| Bulgaria | Southeast Europe | Origin and destination |
| Romania | Southeast Europe | Origin and destination |
| Poland | Central Europe | Origin and destination |
| Czechia | Central Europe | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Western Europe | Destination |
| France | Western Europe | Origin and destination |
| United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Northwest Europe | Destination and trading hub |
| Belgium | Northwest Europe | Destination |
| Portugal | Southern Europe | Origin and destination |
| Israel | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Egypt | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Algeria | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Tunisia | North Africa | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | West Africa | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | East Africa | Origin and destination |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | East Africa | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
| Zimbabwe | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
| Namibia | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | South America | Origin and destination |
| Chile | South America | Origin and destination |
| Peru | South America | Origin and destination |
| Colombia | South America | Origin and destination |
| Bolivia, Plurinational State of | South America | Origin and destination |
| Canada | North America | Origin and destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| Korea, Republic of | East Asia | Destination |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Viet Nam | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Trading and finance |
| Switzerland | Western Europe | Trading and finance |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Destination and trading hub |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Qatar | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Oman | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Mozambique | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
| Senegal | West Africa | Origin and destination |
| Ghana | West Africa | Origin and destination |
| Uganda | East Africa | Origin and destination |
| Madagascar | Southern Africa | Origin and destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Production is when the mineral is mined and processed at origin, which follows the mine plan and the weather at the pit rather than a crop season. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is drying, grading, bagging and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecMilos and the Aegean deposits are the benchmark seaborne source of crude perlite, shipping in bulk to expanders across Europe and North America. |
| Turkiye | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge crude ore production and a growing expansion sector, exporting across the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. |
| United States | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecNew Mexico and the western states supply the domestic expander network, with the crude moving by rail. |
| Japan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecDomestic crude production and a substantial expansion and filter aid industry. |
| Italy | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecSardinian and volcanic province production supplying the European construction and horticultural markets. |
| Hungary | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCentral European crude and expanded production serving the regional construction industry. |
| Mexico | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCrude ore production supplying North American expanders. |
| China | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCrude and expanded production supplying the domestic construction and horticultural markets. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and tonnage already sitting in a destination warehouse or terminal.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for perlite. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading2530.10 Vermiculite, perlite and chlorites, unexpanded
- PackingBulk in a lined container, 1 t big bags, or 25 kg to 50 kg paper or PP bags on pallets. Moisture and particle size distribution stated on the certificate of analysis at load.
- Container loading20ft: 26 t to 28 t bulk or big bag. Weight limited well before volume. Check the road weight limit at the destination before fixing the box size.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on typical analysis with a certificate of analysis at load port and an umpire clause. ASTM and API specifications where they exist, including API 13A for drilling grade barite and bentonite. Arbitration under ICC rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsEU REACH registration above one tonne per importer per year, respirable crystalline silica exposure controls under Directive 2017/2398, asbestos screening for talc and vermiculite, NORM screening on heavy mineral products, and food, pharmacopoeia or cosmetic grade certification where the end use requires it.
Common questions
What grades of perlite does SIP Global trade?
We quote 43 published grades of perlite, including Material state - Declared, as crude ore or expanded product, Expansion ratio - Reported as the ratio of expanded volume to crude volume, at the stated furnace conditions, Loose bulk density of the expanded product - Kilograms per cubic metre, Bulk density of the crude ore - Kilograms per cubic metre, Combined water content - Percentage by mass and Free moisture - Percentage by mass, maximum. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is perlite graded?
A perlite contract turns on whether the material is crude or expanded, on the sizing of the crude ore, and on the expansion behaviour, because the value of the rock is the volume it makes when it is fired. Grading runs on 5 systems: Physical properties, Chemical assay, Particle size and sizing, Contaminants and regulated substances and Delivery, documentation and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade perlite?
We trade perlite in Greece, Turkiye, United States, Japan, Italy, Spain, Mexico and China and 53 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is perlite harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Greece: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Turkiye: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; United States: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Japan: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Italy: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for perlite?
Perlite is normally classified under HS 2530.10 (vermiculite, perlite and chlorites, unexpanded). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for perlite?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed perlite market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.