Aluminum Scrap Research Articles

A study on Fe removal in aluminum scrap to make A356 aluminum alloy

The domestic demand for A356 raw material is increasing, so the price is often very high. The goal of this study is to sort the scrap, then reduce Fe from about 1 % to less than 0.15 %. The reducing Fe by Na2B4O7 to refine aluminum scrap has been conducted under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the iron reduction rate increased with the addition of Na2B4O7 and the heat retention time and obeyed the first-order exponential law. The addition of flux containing Na2B4O7 can reduce the iron content from 1% to less than 0.1% and reach an optimal rate of 77 %. The XRD, SEM and EDS analyzes of aluminum samples described the microstructure and morphology of the obtained aluminum products. This product is a good raw material for making Al alloy group A356.

Characterization of Heater-Cooler Blocks Fabricated from Aluminium Wastes for Steady-State Thermal Application

Recycling of aluminium (Al) from waste aluminium scraps for fabricating aluminium casts is a waste management technique suitable for reducing environmental pollution. The aluminium casts can be further processed into different materials of engineering interests such as heater-cooler (thermal) blocks. In this study, the microstructural characterization of aluminium cast fabricated from recycled aluminium waste and adapted for use via the (steady-state technique) as heater-cooler blocks required in the determination of the thermal conductivity of conducting solid composites was investigated. The characterization was investigated using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Displacer Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). The XRD result confirms the crystalline structure of aluminium on the fabricated aluminium cast. The elemental composition results confirmed that the fabricated cast contains 90% Al, with Silicon (Si) accounting for about 8% of the chemical composition while the remaining 2% was contributed by C, O, Fe, Zn, and Cu. The compositional change observed during characterization was attributed to the recycling process used in fabricating the aluminium cast.

Analisis potensi penerapan teknologi produksi bersih pada c-maxi alloycast, Yogyakarta

CV C-Maxi Alloycast is an industry engaged in the manufacture of household appliances (pans) made of aluminum which is located in Yogyakarta. The aim of the study was to identify the potential application of clean production principles in CV C-Maxi Alloycast. The methods used were production process mapping, waste analysis through liquid waste testing and potential analysis of clean production principles. The results obtained for the production process were smelting aluminum and scrap, pouring molten metal into molds, lifting molds and providing coolant, lifting castings, turning, filing, quality control, storage and distribution. Based on the laboratory test, the characteristics of the liquid waste produced by the CV C-Maxi Alloycast were pH 8.9; COD 52.1 mg/L; BOD 21.4 mg/L; TSS 6660 mg/L; Fe 4,2440 mg/L; Cu 0.0130 mg/L; and Zn 0.0893 mg/L. All parameters indicate that the value meets the quality standard, but the TSS content did not meet the NAB (Threshold Value) which refers to the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Indonesia No. 5 of 2014 and the Regulation of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) No. 7 of 2016. Clean production opportunities were: good housekeeping, application of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) on solid waste, construction of B3 Waste TPS and capacity building of human resources. Environmental performance had increased based on the Green Industry Standard (SIH) from level 1 to level 2 with a value of 53% to 65% with the implementation of clean production. The economic performance of implementing clean production gains a profit of Rp. 77,412,000,-/year, then the second alternative, namely recycling aluminum scrap is an economical alternative to clean technology with a 5-year NPV value of Rp. 37,853,056,558,- Implementing clean production can have a positive impact on the environment and the economy.

Thin-layer refining in single-capillary cell

The current three-layer aluminium refining process consumes a great amount of energy. Due to the need to save energy and because of a great interest to the recycling of off-grade aluminium scrap, the effort of developing a process for thin-layer refining of metals is of relevance today. This paper examines the kinetics of thin-layer refining in a single-capillary cell. Experiments were conducted in a cell with a capillary with the diameter of 1.5 mm and the length of 1 mm, with NaCl – KCl – AlF3 (3 wt.%) used as electrolyte and an aluminium-coated tungsten rod – as reference electrode. Electrochemical measurements were made by means of chronopotentiometry. The design current density i limits varied between 0.70 and 1.62 A/cm2 at the total voltage of ~0.2 V, whereas the mass-transfer coefficient was about 3.3·10–5 m/s at the temperature of 890 oC. Based on the results of the experiments it was concluded that the capillary cell can be used to obtain reproducible polarization curves in thin layers of ion melts. This enables to broaden the range of studied salt systems and metals aimed at implementing the thin-layer refining process. The il values obtained suggest that the refining process has high performance. However, reduction of alkaline metals together with aluminium may affect the process stability and the purity of the resulting metal. The thin-layer electrolyte system offer potential. However, before it can be adopted on a commercial scale, more research is needed in order to define optimum process parameters, which include current density, dimensions of capillaries and electrolyte composition.This research was funded by the Krasnoyarsk Krai Foundation Supporting Research and Engineering under the following project: Energy-Efficient Production of High-Purity Metals. Application Code: 2020092506647.

Analysis of wear behaviour on the recycled aluminium mixed scrap modified with Zn using the Taguchi Approach

Aluminum scraps are a common kind of recyclable material that are used in the manufacturing of a broad variety of lightweight and high-strength goods all over the globe. In order to further strengthen the toughness of these alloys, reinforcement is also used. This investigation makes use of a variety of aluminium scrap as the primary material, reinforcing it with zinc (Zn) at several concentrations, including 0 percent, 0.25 percent, 0.50 percent, 0.75 percent, 1 percent, and 1.25 percent, respectively. The design of experiments used to improve process parameters is put to use in order to investigate the wear of these composites (Taguchi technique). The investigation on wear was carried out using sliding velocities of 2 and 4 metres per second, a sliding distance that was held constant at 90 millimetres, and a weight that varied from to (10N, 20N). In this particular instance, the sliding distance served as an important part of the total three. According to the findings of the microstructure study, the samples included zinc particles, which showed decreased wear. According to the results of the corrosion test, zinc also serves a role that protects against the effects of corrosion. Aluminum alloy is the material that gets recycled the most all around the world.

Simple and selective copper recovery from valuable industrial waste by imidazolium based ionic liquids with BF4- anions

In this study, copper was recovered selectively with hydrometallurgical routes (leaching and cementation) from copper anode slime which is a valuable industrial waste. The use of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BmimBF4) ionic liquid as a novel solvent has been systematically investigated. As a result of the leaching experiment, 98.4% of copper was leached at the optimum leaching conditions; ionic liquid concentration as 40%, temperature as 95 ºC, time as 12 h solid/liquid ratio as 1/25 g/mL and, addition of 20% HBF4 as an oxidant. Also, the experimental results revealed that the other elements in the copper anode slime were not soluble in BmimBF4/HBF4. Moreover, the copper was extracted from the leach solution as in metallic form with the cementation. The highest copper extraction rate was achieved as 93.3% at 45 ºC and 120 min using a scrap aluminum sheet. After all, 91.8% of copper was recovered from copper anode slime as metallic form by leaching and cementation processes in BmimBF4/HBF4. Also, it was found that the leach solution can be reused at least 5 times with low deviations.

Identification and Classification of Aluminum Scrap Grades Based on the Resnet18 Model

In order to reduce the elemental species produced in the recycling and melting of aluminum scrap and to improve the quality of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys, it is necessary to classify the different grades of aluminum scrap before melting. For the problem of classifying different grades of aluminum scrap, most existing studies are conducted using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for identification and classification, which requires a clean and flat metal surface and enormous equipment costs. In this study, we propose a new classification and identification method for different grades of aluminum scrap based on the ResNet18 network model, which improves the identification efficiency and reduces the equipment cost. The objects of this research are three grades of aluminum scrap: 1060, 5052, and 6061. The surface features of the three grades were compared using a machine vision algorithm; three different datasets, using RGB, HSV, and LBP, were built for comparison to find the best training dataset for subsequent datasets, and the hyperparameters of learning rate and batch size were tuned for the ResNet18 model. The results show that there was a differentiation threshold between different grades through the comparison of surface features; the ResNet18 network model trained the three datasets, and the results showed that RGB was the best dataset. With hyperparameter optimization of the ResNet18 model, the accuracy of final classification and recognition could reach 100% and effectively achieve the classification of different grades of aluminum scrap.

Application of neural network approach for modelling COD reduction from real refinery effluent by electrocoagulation.

The present study aims to investigate the feasibility of implementing the electrocoagulation (EC) process to treat Algiers refinery effluent. The electrocoagulation was performed by using scrap aluminum plate electrodes in monopolar-parallel mode. Several parameters, namely current density, reaction time, the electrolyte dose, and the initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration were studied. The maximum removal of COD achieved was found to be 78.55%. Operating conditions at which maximum COD removal efficiencies were achieved at current density 8 mA/cm2, electrolyte dose 1 g/L, with 360 mg/L of initial COD concentration at working time of 40 min. An artificial neural network (ANN) was also utilized to determine predicted responses using neural networks for the 4-10-1 arrangement. The responses predicted by ANN were in alignment with the experimental results. The values of the determination coefficient (R2 = 0.978) and the root mean square error (RMSE = 21.28) showed good prediction results between the model and experimental data. Hence, the ANN model as a predictive tool has a great capacity to estimate the effect of operational parameters on the electrocoagulation process.

Thermal De-coating Pre-treatment for Loose or Compacted Aluminum Scrap and Consequences for Salt-Flux Recycling

In aluminum recycling, thermal de-coating pre-treatments remove moisture and organic contamination before re-melting. If the scrap is compacted into bales or briquettes before the thermal treatment and re-melting processes, less surface area is exposed to oxidation in contact with air. However, compaction may also limit the efficiency of the de-coating process. In this study, coated sheets of aluminum were thermally de-coated at varied temperatures and durations. Observations of changes in coating thickness, mass, color, and composition revealed a maximum de-coating efficiency of close to 75% wt due to remaining oxide residues. The relationship between de-coating and compaction was investigated by thermally treating loose shreddings (chips) and briquettes of various densities. The briquettes were compacted by three methods: uniaxial, moderate-pressure torsion (MPT), and MPT at 450 °C (Hot MPT); and the de-coating efficiency was calculated from the mass loss. Subsequently, the samples were re-melted under salt-flux and compared with another set of samples which were re-melted without thermal pre-treatment. The results showed that thermal de-coating significantly promotes the coalescence of loose chips and briquettes compacted uniaxially, up to similar coalescences than initially uncoated aluminum samples. Thermally treating the MPT briquettes, which were more densely compacted, led to less de-coating, and subsequently lower coalescences. The analysis of re-melted material revealed that the coating residues did not significantly affect the composition, while the compaction prevented Mg loss for the uncoated materials.Graphical

Thermal Stability of Organic Coatings for Aluminium and Its Environmental Aspects

Thermal stability of organic coatings for aluminum plays a key role not only in specific applications, but also in the recycling process of aluminum scrap. For production of secondary aluminum it is necessary to remove coatings from scrap. Rests of unremoved coatings affect the quality of final aluminum. Most of methods for coatings removing are based on thermal decomposition. This process leads to emission of various organic compounds which present potential risk for human health and also for environment. Thermal stability of all tested coatings with in-creasing temperature was study with use of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Significant degradation of coating started at temperature 200 °C and at temperature 450 °C was most of the tested coating degraded and remained only inorganic part of coating. Inorganic part render ap-prox. 30 % of the original coating mass. Degradation of tested coatings was also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. This work also deals with study of in-organic/organic ratio of hybrid coating on real sample of scrap for recycling. The thermolabile part of coating is degraded during heating, which lead to emission of organic compounds and products of degradation which can affect human health and also the environment.

Modification of sodium aluminum silicate hydrate by thioglycolic acid as a new composite capable of removing and preconcentrating Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions from food and water samples

In this paper, sodium aluminum silicate hydrate was synthesized using rice husk as a silicon source and scrap aluminum cans as an aluminum source. Afterward, with the aid of microwave heating, a composite of sodium aluminum silicate hydrate and (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane was facilely synthesized then modified by thioglycolic acid to produce a new composite. Besides, characterization of the synthesized composite was carried out using XRD, FT-IR, TEM, CHN elemental analyzer, nitrogen gas sorption analyzer, and SEM. The XRD pattern of the produced composite shows that there is a halo at 2θ = 25.0°, which means that there is a crystalline structure that is combined with an amorphous background. The SEM and TEM studies indicate that the synthesized composite has a structure similar to cotton. The synthesized composite was utilized for the efficient removal and preconcentration of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions from food and water samples prior to determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The produced composite has a maximum adsorption capacity of 185.53, 168.92, and 125.94 mg/g for Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions, respectively. The recovery findings demonstrate that the process is accurate, adaptable, and resulted in quantitative separation (greater than95 percent). Furthermore, the % RSD was less than 3.5 percent, indicating good reproducibility. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order model fit the experimental results well. The thermodynamic studies established that the adsorption process is spontaneous, chemical, and exothermic. The produced composite was successfully regenerated and used multiple times to remove the metal ions under investigation from aqueous solutions.

Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Dual Powered Crucible Furnace for Aluminium Cans Recycling

There is great need for metal scraps recycling and commercialization in Nigeria owning to the abundant and indiscriminate disposal of metal scraps which constitute health hazard to citizens through the blockage of drainage systems, causing erosion and flooding, defaces the aesthetics of the cities through mounting heaps of metallic waste. This research work designed and fabricated a manually operated dual powered tilting crucible furnace suitable for laboratory and workshop practice for recycling of aluminium cans and scraps and other low melting metals and alloys. It consists of a cylindrical stainless steel pot contained in a refractory lined mild steel square box, fired with both gas and electricity and incorporates a K-type digital thermocouple for temperature measurement. The stainless steel crucible pot has a diameter of 195mm, 312mm high and 3mm thick. The refractory material was locally developed from asbestos, clay, cement and perlite combined in the ratio 1:1:1:5 by volume. The fabricated furnace was tested for performance evaluation by melting different samples of aluminium cans using both gas and electricity. It was found that the furnace has fairly uniform melting rate with both gas and electric powered operations but has varying heating rate which decreased with increasing charge mass. The furnace also has no-load heating rates of 28.7oC/min and 20.1oC/min when powered with gas and electricity respectively. The furnace has a melting capacity of 〖0.0093m〗^3 for 25kg of aluminium charge with total output heat of 199.93MJ and thus suitable for use in small scale foundries and tertiary institutions

De-Ironing of Aluminium Alloy Melts by High Shear Melt Conditioning Technology: An Overview

The main problem of recycling aluminium scrap is the gradual accumulation of impurities, especially iron, which tend to form undesired intermetallic compounds that affect the integrity and the mechanical performance of the castings. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview on the topic of iron removal from aluminium melts through primary intermetallic precipitation and the progress made during the LiME Hub project to understand the process and to develop a more efficient procedure. We cover both thermodynamic analysis and experimental validation. We found that high shear melt conditioning technology enhances the typically slow nucleation and growth of the dense primary intermetallics, speeding up their sedimentation and allowing a faster removal of Fe from the melt by simple gravity sedimentation. It also promotes the formation of smaller and more compact Fe-rich intermetallics, allowing an increased volume fraction recovery and mitigating their effect of being present in the final castings. The technology is not limited to batch processing, with a 90% efficiency, but can also be applied to continuous melt treatment of aluminium scrap, with currently 60% efficiency, and could be combined with other solid–liquid separation techniques to increase the purification efficiency even more.

AUTOMATED CALCULATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT DESIGNS OF FURNACES FOR ALUMINUM SCRAP REMELTING

The analysis of operational thermal conditions of the furnaces for aluminum scrap remelting is given. It was established that it is necessary to choose refractory materials with aluminum oxide content more than 85 % and the thickness of the thermal insulation should ensure the temperature of the external surfaces not higher than 50 °C when designing the furnaces for lining. On the basis of relevant methods packages of application programs have been developed for design calculations of lining and thermal insulation considering thermal conductivity change of individual layers as a result of their complete or partial impregnation with molten aluminum; calculations of energy balances; the selection of external heating devices with electric or flame heating. The power of the external heat source, the amount of heat spent on heating the scrap to the melting temperature, melting and overheating the melt to the working temperature and heat loss have been taken into account in the energy balance. The heat balance equation is used for determination of the melting time for electrically heated furnaces or the power of burner devices at the desired melting time. In the design calculations, the necessary thicknesses of lining and heat-insulating materials are chosen for all elements of enclosure. With appropriate calculations in dialog mode, it is also possible to change materials and their thickness quickly in case of exceeding the allowable operating temperatures of these materials. Options of using electric tape or wire heaters made of nichrome or EI-626 steel were considered during external heating devices calculations. Flame heating can be implemented using gas burners or liquid fuel nozzles. Further variant calculations based on the developed methods and software made it possible to create a furnace design with a capacity of 600 kW with reduced energy and operating costs for the melting process. Bibl. 14, Fig. 1, Tab. 1.

Synthesis and characterization of ecofriendly materials zeolite from waste glass and aluminum scraps using the hydrothermal technique

In this study, we reported a simple and easy process for zeolite synthesis using waste glass and aluminum scraps. The silica source was obtained from glass of the end-of-life fluorescent tubes and aluminum source was scraps collected from aluminum workshop in the region of Sfax, Tunisia. The zeolitic materials were prepared by hydrothermal treatment at 60 °C for 6 days using 10 g of glass powder mixed with 100 mL sodium aluminate solution prepared from aluminum scraps. In order to optimize the nature of the recovered zeolites, reaction time, particle size, aluminum concentration and liquid/solid ratio were monitored. The starting materials and the prepared zeolites were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) of 27Al and 29Si nuclei. The characterization techniques demonstrated that the recovered solid after 6 days of crystallization at 60 °C using different particle sizes (ø <63 µm, ø <125 µm, ø <325 µm) was zeolite Na-LTA contaminated with small quantity of Na-P1.

Lessons from aluminum and magnesium scraps fires and explosions: Case studies of metal recycling industry

Metal recycling industry offers a pathway for promoting resource reuse and waste mitigation. Particularly, aluminum and magnesium alloys, which are handled efficiently, have been adopted in various sectors and recycled. Despite the advantages of these materials, recycling these products introduces the risk of fires and explosions during the recycling process owing to their physical and chemical properties. Aluminum and magnesium are notable water-reactive and combustible metals. Thus, with the internal and external hazards, such as water and chemical reactions, the aluminum and magnesium in the recycling plants can ignite violently, causing disastrous consequences. Thus, this study aims to draw lessons to improve the risk and safety management capacity of metal recycling plants in South Korea by investigating four cases of fire and explosion in magnesium and aluminum recycling plants. The lessons identified are as follows: set up regulations/guidelines to undertake measures based on the hazardous materials from the recycling process and possible reactions; consider the probability of extreme events caused by external hazards based on risk analysis and assessment; prepare safety and preventive equipment considering the specific environmental conditions of the metal recycling plants; plan resources required for appropriate response; arrange safeguards to avoid possible damage; and finally, discern the mechanism of aluminum and magnesium fire.

Optimization of Water Leaching of Chlorides from Aluminum Salt Slag

Aluminum recycling generates large amounts of hazardous wastes, known as salt slags, consisting mainly of oxides, metallic aluminum, and salt fluxes. Water leaching is a common technique used for salt removal, being a decisive operation due to water usage and the need to achieve sufficient salt recovery. In this study, water leaching tests under varied operational conditions (water type, slag particle size, solid content, and leaching time) were carried out in salt slag samples obtained from a Brazilian aluminum scrap melting company. Leaching efficiency was assessed by the % chlorine leached. The optimal leaching condition, defined as the one that resulted in the highest chloride removal from the slag together with appropriate operational conditions (larger viable slag size, lower leaching time, etc.), was identified for a slag size below 2.8 mm, 30 wt% of solids in pulp, and a leaching time of 90 min. The results showed that it was possible to recover more than 92% of the salts initially contained in the raw slag, resulting in a leached material with less than 2.5% salts. The recovered salt characteristics showed potential for recycling and could be re-mixed to the salt flux used for aluminum melting. The possibility of achieving higher efficiencies and lower water consumption during leaching was also discussed, as was a preliminary flowsheet for salt slag treatment.

Sulfate and Freeze-Thaw Resistance of Porous Geopolymer Based on Waste Clay and Aluminum Salt Slag

The search for efficient waste source precursors for geopolymer production is active in scientific society. The feasibility of using calcined kaolin clay and fly ash as suitable precursors for the production of geopolymers is widely described and acknowledged. The availability and energy input required to produce such precursors hinders their competing with traditional binders, however. Therefore, new by-product source precursors are sought in different industries. In this research, three industrial origin secondary raw materials are examined as precursors for the production of porous geopolymers. Calcined illite or kaolin clay in combination with salt cake from the aluminium scrap recycling industry after alkali activation gives lightweight material from 540–675 kg/m3. A comparison of the two precursors was made, and the physical and mechanical properties were determined. Freeze-thaw resistance and sulfate attack were used to characterize durability. Results indicate the role of waste clay type and salt cake content on geopolymer properties as materials with similar appearance performed differently. The results show that metakaolin based geopolymers outperformed red clay based geopolymers and they can withstand from 25 to 50 freeze-thaw cycles with strength loss from 10 to 65%. Sulfate attack showed significant strength loss for red clay based geopolymers after 61 days of soaking time in contrast to metakaolin based geopolymers.

Investigation of Cracks on Internal Surfaces of Extruded Cold Worked Thick Walled Pipes of an Age Hardened Al-Alloy

Thick seamless pipes of hardenable aluminum alloys demand close geometrical tolerances as well as high quality surface finish which are met by cold drawing after a series of different thermo-mechanical treatments. To meet the requirements of critical applications the final product undergoes stringent quality inspection procedures. State of the art quality assessment can detect even minor isolated defects. The production facilities develop their quality criteria suitable for specific applications. The present study investigated minute defects on the inside surface of thick seamless pipes, proposed mechanism of their formation and suggested the impact of defects on the end use. The root cause analysis was conducted, and measures were suggested to control the defects. Thick extruded seamless aluminum alloy pipes underwent a series of different thermo mechanical treatments; the final dimensions with required tolerances and the surface finish were achieved by adopting a 2-step cold drawing process. Cold drawing generated residual stresses which resulted in the formation of cracks in the material, preferentially at the defects generated during solidification and/or extrusion processes. The final product underwent stringent quality inspection, and the material was rejected if cracks of size 3 mm or larger were detected. The die scratches or notches generated on the inside surface of the pipes, during extrusion are assumed to grow if subjected to high stresses during subsequent processes, e.g. cold working. Observations at high magnification in SEM helped to determine the morphology of cracks. Radiographic testing did not detect any crack in the bulk material. Particles with faceted features indicated the presence of inclusion. Inclusions were detected in the form of strings along the direction of cold drawing. Energy dispersive spectrometry in SEM was used to determine the composition of inclusion detected in the vicinity of cracks. Almost all the inclusions were rich in silicon, iron, calcium along with carbon; it indicated that the inclusions were trapped particles of fluxes, slag, and brick powder. Particles rich in Ca, Na and/or Cl indicated entrapped flux, Fe and Si were mostly coming from aluminum scrap and refractory powder while presence of carbon indicated entrapped extrusion lubricant. Inclusions rich in a large variety of unwanted elements indicated presence of slag particles. Numerical analysis was conducted to develop a model in FEM in which scratches of different depths were introduced and autofrettage pressure was applied to determine the stresses generated according to the established Von Mises Model; the latter was used to establish the yield criteria. Finite Element Modelling concluded that when cold drawing pressure was applied on a pipe with a single notch of depth 0.3mm or three notches of depth 0.1 or greater at different locations the Von Mises stresses approached the yield strength of the pipe.

Field-ready methods for casting soil biopores

Preserving biopore geometry is an important first step in evaluating its effect on the movement of water, air, and chemical substances through the soil. This is usually accomplished by making and extracting a cast of the biopore. To prevent damage to or distortion of the cast, sufficiently large, continuous biopores (such as those made by burrowing insects) may be preserved and excavated in the field. Soil casting presents a number of unique challenges caused by the size and/or complexity of the biopore combined with the trouble of casting into the soil material itself. Techniques may fail due to a lack of infiltration caused by the volume or tortuosity of the biopore, or due to penetration of the casting material into the soil matrix. I compiled and reviewed methods for preserving biopores in the field and evaluated them based on preservation quality, time, cost, and practicality. Overall, I recommend zinc casting due to its cost, preservation quality, and durability, although dental plaster casting is suitable for most purposes and has the advantage of preserving specimens trapped inside the cast. Additionally, I present instructions for a lightweight and cost-effective propane powered field kiln for casting biopores using zinc or aluminum scrap.