TITLE:
Technological Characterization and Industrial Application of Tunisian Clays from Makthar Area (Central Tunisia) in the Ceramic Industry
AUTHORS:
Imed Ben Salah, Moufida Ben M’Barek Jemai, Ali Sdiri, Najet Shimi Slim, Mabrouk Boughdiri
KEYWORDS:
Clay Mineral, Mineralogy, Chemical and Physical Properties, Ceramic, Industry
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.6 No.7,
July
28,
2016
ABSTRACT: This study focused on the geochemical, mineralogical and technological
characterization of clays in Makthar area (Central of Tunisia) of
Cretaceous-Paleogene. Its aims are to identify and promote use in the field of
ceramics industry. The result of the mineralogical analysis of clays showed a
dominance of illite with a percentage higher than 65%, of kaolinite and
smectite with percentages of 15%. Geochemical analysis of the major elements of
clay showed a SiO2 content exceeding 29% and a percentage of Al2O3 higher than 7.5%. The Fe2O3 percentage was ranging from
3% to 8%. The percentage of CaO was between 22.5% and 28% while that of K2O
is 4%. The percentages of SO4, MgO and NaO2 were in very
small fractions. Granulometric and microgranulometric analysis showed that the
clay fraction (2/g to 178 m2/g reflecting illite
dominance. Drying behavior indicated that clay mixture had a drying shrinkage
less than 7%, while the firing shrinkage didn’t exceed 2% giving the
possibility of clay using in the ceramics field.