Reformix

09/10/2026

Kalgoorlie’s streets were once, quite literally, paved with gold; and no one knew it...

Before 1896, telluride-bearing rock from the Golden Mile wasn’t recognised as rich gold ore. It looked like waste, so it was discarded, spread across cart tracks and walkways, and even used as building stone. At that time, the material was understood differently. Yesterday’s waste became valuable ore, and of course a lot of those streets and concrete blocks were “dug up” and used to get some of that gold back. I was reminded of this story a few days ago during a conversation about mine tailings.

Director Ramon Skåne from Reformix comments "It took me back to last year, when I presented* at the WA School of Mines (WASM) Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering Symposium in Kalgoorlie. Afterwards, while speaking with students and people from across the mining industry, the conversation turned to a fascinating idea: Today’s tailings may not be tomorrow’s waste.

Greenbushes mining operation in the Southwest – the largest (current) hard-rock lithium mine in the world – provides a striking example of how the value attributed to a mineral deposit can change with knowledge, technology and markets. Tin mining began there in 1888. Tantalum mining followed in the 1940s, and the first lithium processing plant was commissioned in 1985*. Today, the operation also includes a plant re-treating historic tailings.

That history changed how I thought about mine-residue valorisation. The obvious circular-economy question today is: “How can we use this material now?”, but the more difficult question absent of a crystal ball may be: “What is the highest responsible use of this material over time?”. Equally, if nothing is done now and nothing comes in the future… then what? Wasted opportunity. It’s a weird and interesting balance.

Incorporating a mine residue into a cementitious or construction product can create genuine value. It may reduce storage burdens, displace virgin materials and lower the environmental impact of construction. But it may also disperse the material and make the future recovery of a valuable mineral impractical…

So, hesitation around repurposing tailings isn’t necessarily resistance to innovation. A stockpile can be both an environmental liability and a potential future resource. The right decision depends on far more than whether we can make something strong from it. It requires consideration of mineralogy, chemistry, environmental behaviour, consistency, processing technology, commodity markets and economics.

So, maybe an industrial by-product classified as a “tailing” isn’t an inherent property of a material. It’s a judgement made at a particular moment, using the knowledge, technology and markets available at the time.

It makes me wonder: what material are we discarding today that people may look back on very differently in 30 years?"

30/09/2026

More mixes do not always produce more understanding. 🤨

On a recent commercial concrete product-development project, the initial formulation space contained roughly 200 possible mixes... 🫣

Rather than testing them one after another, our team first studied the materials themselves including their mineralogy, chemistry, particle size and packing, morphology and microstructure.

This helped us identify which material characteristics were most likely to influence performance and design experiments around clear technical questions.

The result was a structured R&D program that narrowed the field from 200 to about 30 candidates for further validation. 👍

The photograph shows specimens from that shortlisted program. It is still a substantial amount of testing, but every mix is connected to a specific question and decision.

Materials development will always require iteration. The objective is to ensure that each experiment improves the next decision.

If you are developing a new concrete, binder or material product, Reformix can help structure the testing around the technical and commercial questions you need to answer.

Photo by Hendrik.

17/09/2026

🌱 Concrete made with **p?

It might sound like an unusual combination, but that's exactly what makes h**p hurd such an interesting material to work with.

H**p hurd is an agricultural by-product produced during the processing of industrial h**p. It's extremely lightweight and has a porous cellular structure, giving it some very different properties to the conventional aggregates we typically associate with concrete.

Rather than trying to make it behave like a conventional structural aggregate, the opportunity is to design a cementitious material around the properties that make h**p hurd different.

Reformix has been exploring h**p hurd as a lightweight filler in cementitious binder systems, with particular interest in low-density building materials, thermal insulation and fire resistance (the latter being especially relevant to building applications here in !).

But combining an organic, naturally variable feedstock with an inorganic binder isn't as simple as just adding h**p to concrete.

How much water does the hurd absorb? How does it interact with the binder? How does that affect workability and binder reactions? How much can be incorporated before mechanical performance becomes limiting? And how do you manufacture a consistent product from a naturally variable raw material?

These are exactly the kinds of materials science and process engineering questions we enjoy working through at Reformix.

It's also a good example of why industrial and agricultural by-products don't necessarily need to replace an existing raw material like-for-like to create value.

Sometimes the opportunity is understanding what makes a material different, and designing the product around it.

Reformix's work with h**p-based building materials began through collaboration in WA's , and the work continues today.

**p

09/09/2026

🔬 You’re looking inside a fly ash sphere at the microscopic scale.

Pretty cool what you can find inside something most people would otherwise call an industrial by-product.

Reformix Director Ramon Skåne took this SEM image a few years ago during a materials characterisation project and apparently liked it enough that it became his laptop wallpaper before a photo of him and his partner did. Woops😬

We'll leave him to explain that one...

But there's a good reason we also find images like this so interesting.

What you're looking at is a larger hollow fly ash particle containing a huge number of much smaller spherical particles. These glassy phases can play an important role in the reactions that form cementitious binders.

But an SEM image only tells us part of the story.

When we're developing cement or concrete mixes, simply knowing a material is "fly ash" isn't enough. We combine microscopy with techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis and particle characterisation to better understand its morphology, chemistry, mineralogy and amorphous content.

Because two materials both called "fly ash" can behave very, very differently.

Understanding those differences helps us work out why a material behaves the way it does and gives us something to engineer around when developing and optimising a mix towards an industry-scale commercial product that's repeatble.

Otherwise, it's very easy to find yourself on Mix #67 wondering whether you actually know more than you did at Mix #1.

Understand the material. Then engineer the mix.

That's a big part of the materials science and product development work we do at Reformix.

25/08/2026

Thanks for the shoutout CCCI! Happy to be part of the community 😊👌🌿

📣 Welcoming New Member: Reformix Materials Group 📣

A warm welcome to Reformix Materials Group, a valued new member of the Collie Chamber of Commerce and Industry! 🏗️🌱

Based in Collie, Reformix Materials Group is a Western Australian advanced materials company established in late 2023 with a focus on transforming industrial by-products and underutilised mineral resources into commercially useful, cost-competitive and lower-carbon products.

Through materials science, engineering and commercialisation expertise, Reformix works with the construction and industrial sectors to develop practical solutions that support innovation, resource efficiency and a more sustainable future.

✨ What they offer:
🔬 Material characterisation and testing
⛏️ Feedstock qualification and supply
⚙️ Product and process development
🏗️ Concrete mix design
✅ Quality assurance and quality control
📊 Technical consulting

🏆 Award-Winning Innovation!

We’re also incredibly proud to celebrate Reformix Materials Group’s outstanding success at the 2026 South32 Collie Business Awards, taking home not one, but two awards!

🥇 Services Business Award – Winner
🥇 Leading with Innovation Award – Winner
🥈 Sustainable & Environmental Business Practice Award – Runner Up

Reformix Materials Group brings together technical expertise and commercial thinking to help turn underutilised resources into valuable materials and products.

We’re proud to welcome Reformix Materials Group to our Chamber community and look forward to supporting their continued growth and contribution to Collie’s evolving industrial and innovation landscape!

Find them here on the Collie Hub: https://colliehub.com.au/local-listings/reformix-materials-group/

13/07/2026

Congratulations to one of Reformix's directors Ramon Skåne on his recent election to the Concrete Institute of Australia (CIA) Western Australia Committee, and appointment to the CIA NextGen Steering Committee.

These appointments recognise a continued commitment to supporting the engineering profession, advancing technical knowledge and helping develop the next generation of engineers within Western Australia's concrete and construction industries.

At Reformix, we believe innovation is strengthened through collaboration, industry engagement and knowledge sharing, and we're proud to see our team contributing beyond the projects we deliver.

Congratulations to all newly elected committee members, we look forward to supporting the industry together.

09/07/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫

𝓡𝓮𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶𝓲𝔁🎉🎉🎉

Reformix was created from a clear belief that materials traditionally seen as waste can instead become valuable inputs for the next generation of products and industry.

Rather than operating as a conventional consultancy or supplier, the business was established to bridge the gap between research, industrial process knowledge, and real-world application. At its core, Reformix works with the idea that industrial by-products and residues can be transformed into commercially viable, lower-carbon solutions.

This approach brings together technical expertise in materials science and environmental engineering with a strong focus on practical outcomes for construction, agriculture, and industry. It reflects a growing need across Western Australia for more efficient use of resources and more sustainable production systems.

Importantly, Reformix also connects directly to the future of regions like Collie, where industrial transition is creating opportunities for innovation-led growth, new capability, and skilled employment.

This category was proudly sponsored by the Collie & Districts Community Bank Branch and includes a Triple M Southwest voucher valued at $500 and an IPS - Business Advisory review package.

Please join us in congratulating the winner of the Service Business Award — Reformix 🎉

09/07/2026

Great to see such a strong turnout for the recent Concrete Institute of Australia (CIA) WA & CIA NEXGen - Careers in Concrete event.

A big thanks to the Concrete Institute of Australia WA and (Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec) for organising and supporting an important initiative focused on connecting students, young professionals and industry leaders across the concrete and construction sectors.

Reformix director Ramon Skåne was pleased to present alongside Harrison Wroth and Jemma Ehsman, sharing perspectives on career pathways (both the conventional and unconventional trajectories, each with their pros and cons), emerging technologies and the evolving future of materials engineering within the construction industry.

With rapid advancements occurring across low-carbon materials, alternative binders, process engineering and industrial sustainability, supporting the next generation of engineers and industry professionals has never been more important.

Thanks again to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions.

More information at https://www.reformix.com.au/post/connecting-futures-in-concrete-insights-from-presenting-at-the-cia-wa-nexgen-careers-event

Reformix Materials Group director Ramon Skåne, alongside Harrison Wroth and Jemma Ehsman, were invited by the Concrete Institute of Australia (CIA) to share their experiences and perspectives. They discussed how career trajectories in this field can vary widely, each with its own advantages and cha...

01/07/2026

Reformix Materials Group is proud to announce that we were recognised at the 2026 South32 Collie Business Awards, taking home three awards that reflect our commitment to innovation, technical excellence and industry impact.

Following our earlier announcement as finalists in four categories, Reformix was honoured to receive:

🏆 Services Business Award - Winner

🏆 Leading with Innovation Award - Winner

🥈 Sustainable & Environmental Business Practices - Runner-Up

01/07/2026

We are proud to share that Reformix Materials Group was recognised at the 2026 South32 Collie Business Awards, receiving:

🏆 Services Business Award - Winner
🏆 Leading with Innovation Award - Winner
🥈 Sustainable & Environmental Business Practices - Runner-Up

These awards recognise our team's ongoing commitment to delivering innovative materials science, process engineering and technology development solutions that create practical value for industry.

Director, Ramon Skåne commented:

"A few years ago, Hendrik Gildenhuys and I were just trying to work out whether industrial by-products could become useful engineering materials, and we love concrete!! What a match made in heaven!

Today, after many sleepless nights, experiments, trials and projects, we're fortunate to work doing what we love: Making alternative cements and working with organisations across multiple industries to help solve complex materials and process engineering challenges.

Awards were never the goal, solving industry by-product and environmental problems has always been our core focus.

A huge thank you to the Collie Chamber of Commerce & Industry, South32, everyone involved in organising the event, our clients, collaborators, family and friends who have supported us along the way.

And congratulations to all the finalists and winners!

The work continues, one encapsulated tonne of industry by-product in concrete at a time.""

If you want some of this low-carbon concrete in your project, send us a message or contact the Reformix Materials Group website at https://www.reformix.com.au/.

We're excited for what comes next.