FAQs

MinTech is a full-service material handling solution provider specializing in process application systems, surface application programs, and specialty chemical treatments. From start to finish, we custom-tailor our services to exceed our customers’ expectations.  Our team of experts provides on-site assessments, consultation, concept and design, installation, product application, and on-going service and maintenance.

Our process starts with a site visit by MinTech engineers who then custom-design, fabricate, install, and operate an application system suited to each operation’s performance and budgetary goals. Most systems include product storage (bulk tank, totes, or drums), pumps, material flow sensors, control panels, and spray nozzles. Because we take responsibility for every part of the process, we guarantee performance and quality.

MinTech offers a full-service laboratory with one biologist, three biochemists, and eight chemists. We provide testing that includes, but is not limited to, dust suppression testing, flow aid testing, testing for foaming applications to clean process dusts, anti-cake testing, and road stabilization and erosion control testing.

Our commitment to full-service, long-term partnerships with our customers it what sets us apart from other suppliers.

MinTerra is a product line developed by MinTech that is specifically designed for use on agricultural products such as fertilizers and grains. First, DustAid is formulated to tackle the most common problem seen in the manufacturing, processing, and usage of agricultural products: dust. It includes a range of dust control coatings that prevent and reduce dust during storage, transport, and use of solid fertilizers. Cake Brake is our line of anti-caking coatings that control the issues of bridging and caking during the storage and transport of fertilizers to eliminate pile-set and clumping. Finally, MicroBind is our product line of specially-formulated binders that enhance product appearance and stabilize fertilizer blends to increase concentration and foster uniform distribution of nutrients.

MinTerra currently does not offer any USDA- or OMRI-approved products. We are working on OMRI certifications and will update the website with those offerings once the certifications have been awarded.

We do offer products that are FDA-approved per 21 CFR Section 172.880; they are DustAid SYN LV and DustAid SYN HV.

MinTerra solutions are compatible with AS, AN, Urea, CAN, UAN, NPK, DAP, MAP, TSP, SSP, SOP, MOP, K2S2O3, KCl, KNO3, CN, HA, ZnSO4, CuSO4, MnSO4, FeSO4, CaNO3, and MgSO4.

Depending on the composition of the fertilizer and the problem that is posed (i.e.dust control, anti-caking, etc.), there are a variety of MinTerra solutions that can be applied. Laboratory evaluation is often required to determine the selection of products and the appropriate application rate of those products to effectively treat the issues.

When MinTerra products are applied appropriately, via our label instructions, there should not be any adverse effects which impede ground absorption of aqueous products.

All MinTerra products have a minimum guaranteed shelf-life of one year when stored properly. Many of the products will exceed the one-year shelf-life when kept in appropriate conditions.

We recommend that MinTerra products be stored in a dry environment out of direct sunlight. The products should be stored at temperatures below 120°F in a well-ventilated area.

The majority of MinTerra products are available in 55-gallon drums, 275-gallon intermediate bulk container (IBC) totes, and tankers. Typically, for full truck volume shipments, we can provide 80 x 55-gallon drums, 18 x 275-gallon IBC totes per dry van or 20-foot shipping container, or up to 6,500-gallon bulk tankers. If you require alternative sizing for anything within our product line, please reach out to your MinTech representative to request an alternative size.

MinTech has strategically-placed manufacturing facilities in multiple locations in the United States so that we can provide our customers with products as quickly as possible. Our standard delivery lead-time is 3-5 business days; however, delivery lead-times may vary depending on your product and location. Please call your MinTech sales representative for specific questions about freight quotes and delivery times.

MinTerra solutions (DustAid, Cake Brake, and MicroBind) are compatible with most micronutrient, herbicide, and pesticide applications. MinTerra products are inert and will not change the efficacy of other beneficial product applications. MicroBind is designed to improve the performance of micronutrient delivery and efficiency to, in turn, improve productivity and increase crop yields.

Most of the time, no, especially since we are only applying about 0.5% by weight of our product to their fertilizer. However, in certain instances, if the application rate with wax is high enough (8% for example), we can slow down the release of the nutrient. In most instances, this is beneficial to the farmer.

Many dust control agents (DCAs) commonly used in the fertilizer industry today are petroleum-based products.  Because fertilizer is water soluble,  and petroleum-based products do not need to be mixed with water, they are often preferred because they will not accelerate the degradation of the fertilizer. MinTerra’s DustAid coatings are a comprehensive line of natural, synthetic, and paraffinic DCAs designed to provide long-lasting, non-evaporative, water-resistant fertilizer coatings.

DustAid coatings are designed to control dust throughout the manufacturing, transportation, and application processes of fertilizers and grains. These products are best applied immediately after manufacturing, prior to storage, packaging, or loading. DustAid coatings provide dust control of friable materials on conveyors, transfers, and chutes as well as during transit by rail, truck, or barge. DustAid solutions extend performance and improve end-user experience by controlling dust for the life of the material. By controlling dust, DustAid coatings reduce explosion potential, improve facility hygiene, reduce worker exposure to toxins, increase production yields, and enhance material integrity and quality, increasing the marketability of treated materials.

Each customer’s product is unique and therefore requires a product-specific approach to resolving fugitive dust issues. MinTech’s team conducts a thorough lab test and analysis prior to recommending the specific solution for any problem.

Most DustAid coatings will not alter the color of the finished fertilizer since they are colorless liquids. Only DustAid Natural G, DustAid Natural L, and DustAid Wax may potentially darken the color of the product. However, the degree to which the DustAid solution may affect the product color can be significantly reduced by adjusting the treatment application rate. Most fugitive dust issues can be resolved with low application rates that will have a minimum impact on overall color.

Application rates vary depending on the product being treated. Each customer’s product is unique and requires laboratory evaluation to determine the most accurate, cost-effective application rate of DustAid. Determining an application rate is heavily dependent upon the composition of the product, as well as the customer’s constraints for the solution.

The DustAid product line is applied as a liquid. DustAid wax treatments should be heated past their melting points so that the liquid may be applied. DustAid waxes are custom-formulated to a desired melting point between 100-200°F.  DustAid Natural and DustAid SYN treatments can be stored and applied at ambient temperature and do not require heating.

DustAid should be applied using a spray nozzle system engineered and installed by MinTech. During application, a spray consisting of coarse droplets should be utilized so that the droplets can come into contact with as many particle fines as possible in order to reduce the level of fugitive dust. Fine droplets, such as those generated by atomizing misters, should be avoided.

The longevity of the DustAid coating depends on the granule being sprayed and application rate used. Certain products have more longevity because they are applied with a different method or at a different point in the process line. When compared to the typical solutions used to control dust, the DustAid coatings are far more cost-effective in the long run because they do not have to be re-applied as frequently. We have products designed to last for a minimum of 4-6 months and others used as a finishing treatment to last only 4-6 weeks.

Fertilizer dust migrates and corrodes everything, so the use of DustAid coatings will help reduce equipment wear.  Watch this testimonial from one customer who has used DustAid and seen the equipment benefits first-hand.

The DustAid product line significantly reduces safety and health concerns of the workers by decreasing respirable dust by up to 98%. This limits exposure to potentially toxic materials while also maintaining a safe environment for the workers to operate. Less dust also prevents the chances of accidents involving equipment and low visibility.

Cake Brake products are formulated to provide long-lasting anti-caking by altering the interfacial surface tensions between treated granules. Linkages form between granules due to a variety of factors (i.e.high moisture and humidity, fluctuating temperatures, as well as compaction). Cake Brake inhibits this crystallization and adhesion between surfaces by either absorbing moisture directly, repelling moisture from the granules, or preventing crystallization as a whole. This prevents pile-set and bag-set during storage and transportation. In addition to improving marketability by ensuring a free-flowing, non-clumping, non-caking material, Cake Brake provides a moderate level of short-term dust control as well.

Cake Brake is designed for use on high nitrogen fertilizer products, where nitrogen is 10% or higher. These fertilizers tend to have lower critical relative humidity percentages, which make caking more likely to occur. Urea- and ammonium-based fertilizers are also more susceptible to caking than potassium sulfate-based fertilizers.

Application rates vary depending on the product being treated. Each customer’s product is unique and requires laboratory evaluation to determine the most accurate, cost-effective application rate of Cake Brake. Determining an application rate is heavily dependent on the composition of the product, as well as the customer’s constraints for the solution.

The Cake Brake product line is applied as a liquid. The average spray temperature required is between 40-100°F. Oftentimes, Cake Brake coatings can be applied with a spray nozzle that is already incorporated into the customer’s existing manufacturing system.

The Cake Brake products with WR in the name describe our water-resistant anti-caking agent, while the products with WS in the name describe our water-soluble anti-caking agent. The difference between the two is that Cake Brake WS solutions prevent caking by lowering surface tension, and Cake Brake WR solutions prevent caking by inhibiting salt bridging.

Our WR (water-resistant) line of anti-caking agents is designed to prevent moisture intrusion during manufacturing, shipping, and storage of bulk, dry fertilizers. Once the fertilizers are applied to the field, water or rain is able to migrate into the fertilizer granule to release nutrients to the soil, and the microbes in the soil will accelerate biodegradation of the Cake Brake WR coating.

No, Cake Brake is color-safe for all products. Cake Brake coatings are clear and colorless, making them safe for use on colorless or pigmented products.

Cake Brake coatings can last upwards of 4-6 months; however, the longevity is dependent upon critical relative humidity (CRH) of the fertilizer as well as environmental and storage conditions.

Cake Brake prevents piles from setting and reduces the chances of injuries caused by massive piles of product avalanching. It also reduces the amount of extra labor required to break up any clumps that may have formed while the product is being stored.

MicroBind additives exceed durability and solubility performance requirements for micronutrient fertilizer blends. Natural dispersant activity ensures even distribution of micronutrients on macronutrient fertilizer surfaces, producing higher crop yields. MicroBind solutions are designed to be applied at any point of the manufacturing, transportation, or distribution process, giving fertilizer manufacturers, blenders, and terminals the flexibility of when, where, and how they add customer-specific micronutrients. MicroBind products can also aid in foliage wetting and root penetration, which improves plant uptake. Important micronutrients compatible with MicroBind include Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Magnesium, and Calcium.

Application rates vary depending on the product being treated. Each customer’s product is unique and requires laboratory evaluation to determine the most accurate, cost-effective application rate of MicroBind. Determining an application rate is heavily dependent upon the composition of the product, as well as the customer’s constraints for the solution.

MicroBind additives are applied as a liquid. MicroBind SYN R Hot will need to be heated in a tank prior to being applied.

Of the MicroBind products, only the MicroBind SYN L is color-safe. MicroBind Natural L, MicroBind SYN R and MicroBind SYN R Hot are binding agents that may darken the color of the product to which they are applied.

Micronutrient minerals such as boron, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc can all be utilized with MicroBind.

Since we are adding moisture to the fertilizer, we have to be conscious of how much MicroBind we apply so as not to cause caking. At low levels (less than 1%) we should not see issues with caking, especially if the MicroBind is applied right before being loaded into trucks for transport to use at the farm, which is a typical application at the co-op level. For long term storage (30+ days) or when bagging fertilizer, we recommend adding MicroBind during the fertilizer manufacturing process prior to the drying step. If we apply our product at the required rate prior to the drying process, the moisture we added will be removed.