uncalcinated

Uncalcinated refers to a substance that has not undergone calcination. Calcination is a thermal treatment process involving heating a solid material to a high temperature without melting or vaporizing it. This process typically drives off volatile components and causes a loss of mass, often leading to a chemical or physical change in the material. Therefore, an uncalcinated substance is one that has not been subjected to this high-temperature heating.

For example, in the context of minerals or ores, uncalcinated material would be in its raw, natural state, without having been heated to alter its composition or structure. Many industrial processes, such as the production of cement or lime, rely on calcination. The resulting products are calcined, meaning they have been transformed by heat. Conversely, any material that has not passed through this specific heating stage is considered uncalcinated. The properties of an uncalcinated substance will differ from its calcined counterpart, often retaining water of hydration or other volatile constituents that are driven off during calcination.