Usefulness Study of Mineralogical Treatment Enhancing the Quality of Claystone Used in The Nineveh Governorate for The Brick Industry

Abstract

The purpose of this study is the find a method of treatment to improve the properties of claystone of the geological formations that are widespread in Northern Iraq by kaolinite addition. Washing clay with different ratios of water is another treatment to find the perfect quantity of water to dissolve the more percent of salts. More improvement was found by adding 10% of kaolinite and the sample was classified as grade A according to Iraqis’ specifications number 24 in 1988. The water absorption of the treated sample is 16.5%, the compressive strength is 34.9 MPa. and low efflorescence. the sample characteristics are good when adding 5% kaolinite, the water absorption of 19.5%, compressive strength of 30 MPa. and low efflorescence. While The non-treated sample has a 22.2% of water absorption, 20.6 MPa of compressive strength, and medium efflorescence. The treatment by water dissolution is good in some manner, where dissolution increased to 3.2% when the water quantity increased to double of sample weight, and it increased to 4.8% when the water quantity increased five-fold. Eventually, the studied rock beds have well characteristics, very large reserves, and adequate to operate eight factories of 50.000 brick/day for 50 years and it has 7.478.258 m3 of clay.