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Identification and use of white clayey deposits from the area of Tamra (northern Tunisia) as ceramic raw materials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

B. Moussi ,
M. Medhioub ,
N. Hatira ,
J. Yans ,
W. Hajjaji ,
F. Rocha ,
J. A. Labrincha  and
F. Jamoussi
B. Moussi
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Valorisation des Matériaux Utiles, CNRSM, BP 273, 8020 Soliman, Tunisia
M. Medhioub
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Terre, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
N. Hatira
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences de Gabes, Département des Sciences de la Terre, Cité Erriadh 6072 Zrig, Gabes, Tunisia
J. Yans
Affiliation:
FUNDP - Institution - Rue de Bruxelles 61, B-5000 Namur, Belgium
W. Hajjaji
Affiliation:
Ceramics and Glass Engineering Dept & CICECO. University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
F. Rocha
Affiliation:
Geobiotec, Geosciences Dept, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
J. A. Labrincha*
Affiliation:
Ceramics and Glass Engineering Dept & CICECO. University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
F. Jamoussi
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Valorisation des Matériaux Utiles, CNRSM, BP 273, 8020 Soliman, Tunisia
*
*E-mail: jal@ua.pt
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Abstract

White clayey geomaterials were collected from northeast of the Nefza region (northern Tunisia). These deposits belong to the Mio-Pliocene molassic basins (basin of Tamra-Sidi Dris, Boukhchiba) and Oligocene Numidien in the area of El Aouinet. Analysis by X-ray diffraction showed associations of halloysite and kaolinite (Tamra), kaolinite and illite (Aouinet zone) and mixed layers, kaolinite and feldspars (Boukhchiba zone). Semi-industrial processed bricks showed promising characteristics and were visibly free of defects. Ceramic tiles had a bending strength that met the required standards but water absorption was somewhat high. So, to achieve higher quality, optimisation needs to be carried out in the formulation of batches or in the processing conditions. Finally, the incorporation in whitish sanitary-ware glaze formulations generated smooth coating layers that showed the required strong brightness and were free of defects.

Keywords

white claysMio-PlioceneNefzaTunisiahalloysite-kaoliniteceramic applicationsbrickstiles
Type
Research Papers
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 165 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2011

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