NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.

Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information

Designation: C638 − 09

StandardDescriptive Nomenclature of
Constituents of Aggregates for Radiation-Shielding
Concrete1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C638; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope* 3. Types of Materials

1.1 This descriptive nomenclature is intended to give accu- 3.1 Two classes of materials are described below. The first
rate descriptions of some common or important naturally class consists of minerals and rocks formed from them, and
occurring and synthetic constituents of aggregates for synthetic materials, that have high relative density (specific
radiation-shielding concrete, that, at the same time, are not gravity) and in addition contain substantial proportions of
common or important constituents of concrete aggregates in atoms of high or moderately high atomic weight. They are
general use. While most of the minerals and rocks discussed referred to as heavy or high-density aggregates. The second
below may occur in small quantities in aggregates in general class consists of minerals and synthetic glasses of substantial
use, they are not major constituents of such aggregates. boron content that are particularly effective in absorbing
Common constituents of aggregates in general use are de- thermal neutrons without producing highly penetrating gamma

iTeh Standards
scribed in Descriptive Nomenclature C294. Radiation- rays. The boron-frit glasses are included because of their
frequent use.
shielding concrete often contains such aggregates, but other

(https://standards.iteh.ai)
special aggregates are used in some circumstances. HEAVY AGGREGATES
1.2 The synthetic aggregates included are ferrophosphorus
4. Descriptions of Naturally Occurring Constituents
and boron frit.
Document Preview
1.3 The descriptions are not adequate to permit the identi-
4.1 Members of this group have higher relative density
(specific gravity) than aggregates in general use. Six are iron
fication of materials, since accurate identification of natural minerals, of which five are important iron ore minerals and the
ASTM
and synthetic aggregate constituents in many cases can C638-09
only be sixth is an ore of titanium. Two are barium minerals worked as
made by a qualified geologist, mineralogist, or petrographer, the principal sources of barium salts. The other is
https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/4b8e5b13-68a1-432c-8e15-b1b1281ebb96/astm-c638-09
using the apparatus and procedures of those sciences. ferrophosphorus, a mixture of synthetic iron phosphides.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as 4.2 The constituents are described below first as minerals,
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this and then as major constituents of ores when their aspect as
standard. major constituents of ores affects the behavior of ores as
concrete aggregates.
2. Referenced Documents
5. Iron Minerals and Ores
2.1 ASTM Standards:2
5.1 Hematite (Fe2O3)—Hematite has a hardness of 5 to 6 on
C294 Descriptive Nomenclature for Constituents of Con-
Mohs’ scale (will be scratched by hard steel), and a relative
crete Aggregates density (specific gravity) of 5.26 when pure. The color varies
from bright red to dull red to steel gray; luster varies from
metallic to submetallic to dull; the streak is cherry red or
1
This descriptive nomenclature is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee reddish brown; it is nonmagnetic.
C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and is the direct responsibility of 5.1.1 Hematite Ores—Rocks of which hematite is the major
Subcommittee C09.41 on Hydraulic Cement Grouts.
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2009. Published January 2010. Originally constituent vary from one deposit to another, and within the
approved in 1973. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as C638–92(2002). DOI: deposit, in specific gravity, toughness, compactness, amount of
10.1520/C0638-09.
2
impurities, degree of weathering, and suitability for use as
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
concrete aggregate. Hematite appears to be the iron ore mineral
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on most exploited as a source of iron. The ores of the Lake
the ASTM website. Superior region are banded sedimentary ores consisting of

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

1
 C638 − 09
layers rich in hematite, and sometimes goethite, iron silicates, brownish black through browns to yellows. Limonite deposits
such as stilpnomelane, minnesotaite, greenalite, grunerite, and range from recognizable crystalline goethite to dull massive
iron carbonate, alternating with silica-rich layers of chert or material of indefinite composition, and therefore, properly
fine-grained quartz or a mixture. The Birmingham, AL ores are limonite. Limonites of high iron content are also called brown
oolitic with hematite replacements of oölites and fossils in a iron ores. Frequently they contain sand, colloidal silica, clays,
matrix that ranges from fine-grained earthy hematite, with or and other impurities.
without calcite, to crystalline calcite. Hematite ores dust in
handling, with the dust ranging in color from moderate red to 5.6 Magnetite (FeFe2O4)—Magnetite has a hardness of 51⁄2
dusky red to moderate reddish brown (5R 4/6 to 5R 3/4 to 10R to 61⁄2 and relative density (specific gravity) of 5.17 when pure.
4/6).3 It is strongly magnetic; the color is black with metallic to
5.2 Ilmenite (FeTiO3 with minor Mg and Mn)—Ilmenite has semimetallic luster; the streak is black.
a hardness of 5 to 6 and relative density (specific gravity) of 5.6.1 Magnetite Ores—These ores can form dense, tough,
4.72 6 0.04 when pure. The color is iron black with metallic usually coarse-grained rocks with few impurities. Magnetite
to submetallic luster; the streak is black; it is feebly magnetic. ores are associated with metamorphic or igneous or sedimen-
5.2.1 Ilmenite Ores—These ores consist of crystalline ilme- tary rocks, and therefore, the impurities associated with mag-
nite with either magnetite or hematite and constituents of the netite ores may include a wide variety of rock-forming and
associated gabbroic or anorthositic rocks. Massive ilmenite accessory minerals. Magnetite occurs in association with
ores can form coarsely crystalline massive tough rocks but hematite and ilmenite; magnetic ores are widely distributed,
vary, from deposit to deposit, and within a deposit, in relative but many are not suitable for use as heavy aggregate because
density (specific gravity), composition, hardness, and suitabil- the magnetite occurs disseminated through rock rather than as
ity for use as concrete aggregate. Many ilmenite ores consist of a major rock-forming mineral. One of the most widely used
ilmenite disseminated in rock rather than concentrated as a types of heavy aggregates is magnetite ore.
major rock-forming mineral. Ilmenite concentrated from beach
sands is usually altered to a variable degree, and its mechanical 6. Barium Minerals
properties probably differ from those of unaltered ilmenite.

ilmenite ore.
iTeh Standards
One of the most widely used types of heavy aggregates is 6.1 Witherite (BaCO )—Witherite has a hardness of 3 to 3 ⁄
3
and a relative density (specific gravity) of 4.29 when pure. The
12

(https://standards.iteh.ai)
5.3 Lepidocrocite (FeO(OH))—Lepidocrocite has a hard-
ness of 5 and relative density (specific gravity) of 4.09 when
color ranges from colorless to white to grayish or many pale
colors. Like calcite and aragonite, witherite is decomposed

Document
pure. The color varies from ruby red to reddish brown and the
streak is dull orange. Lepidocrocite and goethite occur Preview
with effervescence by dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl).
Witherite, the second most common barium mineral, occurs
with barite and galena. England is the chief producer of
together, and lepidocrocite may be a constituent of goethite and
limonite ores. witherite, and barium-containing heavy aggregates in Great
ASTM C638-09Britain might be expected to contain witherite as a major
5.4 Goethite (HFeO2)—Goethite has the same chemical
https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/4b8e5b13-68a1-432c-8e15-b1b1281ebb96/astm-c638-09
composition as lepidocrocite but crystallizes differently. The constituent.
hardness is 5 to 51⁄2 and the relative density (specific gravity) 6.2 Barite (BaSO4) (also, but improperly, called barytes)—
is 4.28 6 0.01 when pure and 3.3 to 4.3 in massive goethite. Barite has a hardness of 3 to 31⁄2 and a relative density (specific
The color varies with the form, from crystals that are blackish gravity) of 4.50 when pure. The color ranges from colorless to
brown with imperfect adamantine-metallic luster, to dull or white to many usually pale colors.
silky luster in fibrous varieties; massive goethite is yellowish
brown to reddish brown; clayey material is brownish yellow to 6.2.1 Barite is the most common barium mineral and the
ocher yellow. The streak is brownish yellow to ocher yellow. major barium ore. It occurs in veins transecting many kinds of
5.4.1 Goethite Ores—These ores range from hard tough rocks, concentrated in sedimentary rocks, and as residual
massive rocks to soft crumbling earths; these alterations nodules in clays formed by the solution of sedimentary rocks.
frequently occur within fractions of an inch. In many of its occurrences it is accompanied by clay or a
calcium sulfate mineral (gypsum or anhydrite) or both. Al-
5.5 Limonite—A general name for hydrous iron oxides of
though barite from residual deposits is often weathered, it is
unknown composition frequently cryptocrystalline goethite
possible to obtain clean, well-graded barite aggregate.
with adsorbed and capillary water, and probably mixtures of
such goethite with similar lepidocrocite or hematite, or both,
with adsorbed and capillary water4. The relative density 7. Ferrophosphorus
(specific gravity) ranges from 2.7 to 4.3 and the color from 7.1 Ferrophosphorus, a material produced in the production
of phosphorus, consists of a mixture of iron phosphides, and
has been used as coarse and fine aggregate in radiation-
3
National Research Council, Washington, DC, Rock Color Chart (1948) reis- shielding concrete. Published relative density (specific gravity)
sued 1964 by Geological Soc. Am., New York, NY. range from 5.72 to 6.50 for coarse aggregate. The coarse
4
Palache, Charles, et al., The System of Mineralogy of J. D. Dana and E. S.
Dana, Vol 1, Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides, Ed. 7, New York, NY, 1944, p aggregate is reported to degrade easily and has been associated
685. with extreme retardation of set in concrete. Ferrophosphorus in