LST Heavy Liquid

We manufacture and supply LST Heavy Liquid, a low toxicity dense liquid for float-sink particle separations. LST Heavy Liquid is used by mineral separation testing laboratories and many research laboratories in over sixty countries worldwide. LST Heavy Liquid is especially useful in mineral sands separations, for separating indicator minerals in diamond prospecting, and in paleontology and palynology.

Our low toxicity tungsten heavy liquids (lithium and sodium heteropolytungstates) are supplied to most of the world directly from our factory in Australia. Purchasing for Europe and Japan is best through local distributors, and websites for distribution covering North America and Europe are available. More information on LST Heavy Liquid distributors is available at our purchasing information page.

LST Dilution Calculator

We provide free LST Dilution Calculation software which you can download and use to calculate accurate dilutions when using LST Heavy Liquid. When diluting LST Heavy Liquid for your application, make sure that you only use de-ionised water or distilled water. Download LSTCalc here.

An Android version of the LST Dilution Calculation software is available. Install it via the Android Market on your phone, search for 'LSTCalc', or it is available here.

The Mac version of the LST Dilution Calculation software can be downloaded here.

Tungsten Carbide

We can supply tungsten carbide for use in performing mineral separations using a heavy suspension in LST Heavy Liquid, for separations which need to be performed at a higher density.

Ancillary Equipment

We supply hydrometers, either SG 2.50 - 3.00 or SG 3.00 - 3.50, to help with float-sink separations when using LST Heavy Liquid.

Other Resources

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is included with every order of LST Heavy Liquid. You can also download a copy of the SDS for LST Heavy Liquid here.

Laboratory Instruction Sheet

This is a simple set of instructions that should be read by any laboratory worker who uses LST Heavy Liquid. It details what to do and what to avoid when using LST Heavy Liquid. A copy is included with every order of LST Heavy Liquid and the instruction sheet can also be downloaded here as a PDF file.

LST Heavy Liquid and pH

Some information about LST Heavy Liquid and pH and the recommended method to test the pH of LST Heavy Liquid.

Applications for LST Heavy Liquid

LST Heavy Liquid is used worldwide in many laboratories where a non-toxic dense liquid is required for safe, speedy separation of materials. Applications include mineral separations, paleontology and palynology.

Uses of Heavy Liquids

Heavy liquids are dense fluids or solutions used to separate materials of different density through their buoyancy. Materials with a density greater than the heavy liquid will sink, while materials with a density less than the heavy liquid will float on the liquid surface.

In the mineral industry, heavy liquids are commonly used in the laboratory to separate "light" minerals such as quartz and clay from "heavy" minerals. The density used for this type of separation is about 2.85 g/ml, nearly three times the density of water. The mineral sands industry uses heavy liquid separations to check the grade of samples in their process, and to determine the efficiency of their industrial hydrocyclone separations. The diamond exploration industry uses heavy liquids to separate dense "indicator" minerals from sand and clay.

    

In paleontology the separation is not between minerals of different types, but between fossil bones and minerals. Typically, these heavy liquid separations are conducted at a lower density (e.g. 2.2 g/ml).

Palynologists use heavy liquids at a density around 2.2 g/mL to separate pollen from clay and other minerals.

Heavy suspensions using LST Heavy Liquid

Clerici's solution, a mixture of two thallium salts, has been used since the early 1900s where specific gravity 4.0 - 5.0 is required. It is highly toxic and expensive.

A heavy suspension of LST Heavy Liquid and tungsten carbide is both lower toxicity and much less expensive. This suspension has been used with mineral sands for zircon fractionation, and with iron ore characterisation.

Where is LST Heavy liquid used?

Click the image below for a larger map showing the countries where LST Heavy Liquid is in use.