Building materials from siliceous clay and low grade dolomite rocks

New building bricks could be prepared from appropriate mixtures of local low melting clay and low grade dolomite rocks after firing at a relatively low firing temperature of similar or equal to 750 degreesC. Results showed that the thermal interaction between the constituents of clay and dolomite at 750 degreesC ensures better and relatively high mechanical strength for the resulting products The XRD and DTA analyses indicated that the produced articles are composed mainly of carbonates and new formations of calcium silicates, calcium aluminates and MgO in amorphous or fine crystalline state. The fired products after hydraulic hardening at a dried environment recorded the highest mechanical properties. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd and Techna S.r.l. All rights reserved.