Baking vermiculite

[ThermoJax]

My vermiculite is about a year old, stored under a wet tree, and feels "wet" to the touch. I am also curing my oven by firing for a week straight, if it goes out at night, start again in the morning, but for a week.

So, I also have big flat pans, so I am drying my vermiculite on pans in the oven, then after cooling, pouring in between my insulation and my walls, especially the tight part of the sides. I am noticing that the vermiculite seems to be popping like popcorn, just not jumping. I am thinking that the expanded state has more R value, and obviously after baking for maybe 1/2 hour should be totally dry and therefore safe to use .

[dmun]

Mineral vermiculite is popped like popcorn to expand it. I wasn't aware that it happened again if you heated it wet. Very interesting.