Technical & Sales Support

A key component of American Colloids strength is our advanced laboratory facilities and our team of highly qualified and experienced staff. Our laboratories located at Hoffman Estates, IL and at the bentonite processing plants serves to support exploration, mining and production of our products. Our Research and Development laboratory provides extensive product testing and research analysis for new and improved products. Through this support we are better able to partner with our customers and assist them in meeting their competitive challenges.

Lab Capabilities

Specifically, American Colloid Company’s system sand testing laboratory in Hoffman Estates, Ill. has the capability to perform compactability, moisture, density, permeability, mold hardness (B and C scales), AFS clay, acid demand, pH, bulk density, sieve distribution, thermal durability, methylene blue, volatile content matter, stepped volatile content matter, loss on ignition, ammoniacal nitrogen, total hardness, soluble calcium, green shear, wet tensile, green compression and dry compression strength testing.

The laboratory also contains a thermogravimetric analyzer to determine weight loss as a function of temperature, an x-ray diffraction machine to assist in determining mineralogical composition, and an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer to determine elemental compositions.

The Company also offers other specialized testing capabilities that can be performed on request.

System Sand Samples

As part of our commitment to the foundry industry and as a service to our valued customers, complimentary system sand testing is available to all MPG customers at “no charge”. The laboratory will gladly provide burlap bags with plastic liners upon request.

To send a system sand sample to American Colloid Company, please properly seal (guaranteeing that the original moisture is retained) 2-3 lbs of material in a plastic liner, place the liner in the burlap bag, and fill out the appropriate information on the included tag and send to: .

Send samples to:
Attention: MPG Laboratory
American Colloid Company
2870 Forbs Avenue
Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192

Please direct questions to Liam Miller, Senior Research Associate.