mick2me 3,033 Posted March 13, 2012 Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 Thanks Fynger I knew I knew the face? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 I've cracked it!!! This was The White Cliffs of Dover this week...But how did they shift the bu99er up there??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Have they been photoshopped? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Nah, that's chalk, not gypsum! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Could be the beginning of a new industry - Re-introduction of blackboards and chalk for schools in order to give teachers something to throw at the pupils.....that's the stockpile of chalk. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
majoroak 0 Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 british gypsum from Gotham stock piling - transported by chinook helicopter at night ski- run? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 Calls to remove the ‘Alps of Watnall’ AN ENORMOUS pile of gypsum waste in Watnall has been branded ‘an abhorrent blot on the landscape’ by a local resident. The huge pile of waste – nicknamed the Alps of Watnall – has got so big over the last few months, it can be seen from the motorway and the hills in the village. Resident John Smith said: “If you go to any raised part of Watnall and look over you can see the whole horizon is dominated by this white slag heap. It’s massive. A monstrosity.” But Broxtowe Borough Council this week defended Fernwood Fuels – the firm responsible for the waste – saying the gypsum waste was legally allowed to be there and reassured residents it was not toxic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 That's odd calling it gypsum waste, when I worked for BG we had no waste, every bit mined went into the manufacture of plasterboard, that was at East Leake. Gotham's went to make bagged finishing plaster and browning. Gypsum is harmless both to the environment and humans. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 Apparently the "gypsum" content in Nottinghams water is what gives Nottingham brewed beer some of it's distinctive flavour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 Gypsum (Calcium sulphate) is used in brewing to raise the acidity and hardness of the water. This improves keeping qualities, clarity, trub formation, hop extraction, astringent flavours are buffered and yeast is more vigorous. Nottingham ale was world famous and Shipstone's ales provided IPA for the British army in India during the Raj. Nottingham shares similar water qualities to Burton. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 I remember being told that marl, the brown clay above the gypsum was also mined and used ground to a powder, on Notts County Cricket Club wickets. Gypsum is also sold as a soil conditioner, it also prevents the rot on tomatoes. Been using it for years for that one. Last time I checked it was a lot more than Calcium Carbonate, there's also sulphates in the Notts beds, It was those that combined with water to form Sulphuric Acid that attacked the shaft linings of Cotgrave Colliery number one shaft causing a catastrophic failure of the lining in the development of that colliery. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Made 5 galls of beer today - adding 1oz of Gypsum to the mash to increase acidity. I must bring a bucket and shovel next time I visit Notts. - Gypsum costs a quid for 4oz in homebrew shops. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NJFNick 0 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 As I understand it, the gypsum waste is in fact "flue gas gypsum" which is a waste bye product of gas fired power stations. Ayupmeducks is correct in stating that British Gypsum tend to use everything they mine in the making of plasterboard and bagged plaster. Even scrapped production waste is recycled. BG also add flue gas gypsum (or DSG - "de-sulphurised gypsum") to their product so it may come to pass that the "Alps of Watnall" gets carted off to East Leake at some point to be turned into something useful! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 I recall HM mines Inspector calling gypsum "white gold" when I worked at Marblaegis Mine....Not that it was white down that mine, more a red/brown in colour, although there were lumps that were white... The brown marl gives plasterboard's sandwich of plaster it's pinkish colour. There's a good article on BG's site about power station flue gypsum is reused in plasterboard, how much per year they use etc.. If you want to prevent "blossom end rot" on tomatoes, add gypsum to the soil around your toamato vines, it does work too!! I get it on mine unless I use gypsum, seems my soil is deficient in some mineral or other. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 That's odd, Gypsum is used as a 'clay breaker' but according to the extract below, has no effect on soil pH. Blossom end rot occurs when there is a lack of Magnesium in the soil leading to Calcium imbalance. Is your soil heavy clay perchance? <Quote from http://www.back-to-basics.net/efu/pdfs/pH.pdf > Liming materials are materials that contain calcium and/or magnesium in forms, which when dissolved, will neutralize soil acidity. Not all materials which contain calcium and magnesium are capable of reducing soil acidity. For instance, gypsum (CaSO4) contains Ca in appreciable amounts, but does not reduce soil acidity. The reason it does not is because when gypsum hydrolyzes in the soil, it converts to a strong base and a strong acid as shown in the following equation: CaSO4 + 2H2O = Ca (OH)2 + H2SO4 These two products formed, Ca(OH2) and H2SO4, neutralize each other and the result is a neutral soil effect. <End quote> Epsom salts is the normal treatment for blossom end rot. <Wiki Quote> magnesium sulphate is a chemical compound containing magnesium, sulphur and oxygen, with the formula MgSO4. It is often encountered as the heptahydrate epsomite (MgSO4·7H2O), commonly called Epsom salt <End quote> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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