Sustainable Valorization of Jarosite as a Concrete Material Investigation of Hydration, Mechanical, and Durability Properties

The sustainable management of industrial waste such as jarosite (JS) has been a significant challenge in many countries. This study aims to develop concrete using JS and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) to replace ordinary portland cement (OPC). The incorporation of JS in concrete provides an eco-friendly solution to the zinc industrial waste management system. The concrete specimen's hydration, mechanical, durability, and microstructure characteristics are analyzed. Based on the investigation of the mechanical and durability properties of the JS-GGBS, blended concrete showed a linear enhancement in performance up to 15% of the JS replacement level. Compared to conventional concrete, the developed concrete mix with 15% JS and 20% GGBS replacement levels obtained 27.6%, 13.3%, and 3.8% increases in compression, flexural, and split tensile strength, respectively. The morphological analysis revealed a denser microstructure attributed to jarosite's fineness and secondary hydration reaction. Furthermore, the heavy metal leaching properties of the JS neutralized by utilizing it as a concrete material and heavy metal concentration was within the permissible limits. The total cost, carbon emission, and statistical analysis of the developed concrete are determined where the optimum mix had a 3.158 and 33.05% reduction in cost and carbon emission, respectively. Therefore, a 15% JS and 20% GGBS combination as supplementary cementitious material can be recommended as an optimum cement replacement material to achieve improved mechanical and durability properties. This study demonstrates that JS-GGBS-blended cementitious material can be a sustainable approach for utilizing jarosite, with practical implications for the construction industry and environmental sustainability.