Wondering about insulation

About 15 years ago I did a job and was in an attic and the insulation was something I have never seen before or since...it was granular like extremely course sand but was neither heavy or lite...it was throughout the whole attic and I was very leary of it since I had never seen it before...it was white in color and was NOT pearlite or anything like that...


Any Ideas...

I was gonna say "perlite", because that's what it sounds like.

But since you say it isn't perlite... vermiculite?

Those are the only 2 things that I know of, that fit your description.

insulation

Vermiculite is tan and chunky.

Really? I've never seen it, as insulation, before. Only ever seen it in the context of gardening... But, the one & only time I've seen perlite insulation (looked like what Cass is describing)... one of the other guys on the job thought it was vermiculite. So I walked away, thinking they must look similar... Maybe he was just mixed up.

... a quick google image search confirms, he was mixed up; they don't look alike at all.

Mineral wool?

nope...it was the weirdest stuff I have ever seen...it acted like sand when you let it fall through your fingers...

Definitely not vermiculite..