BENTONITE CLAYS FROM SOSSEGO, PARAIBA, BRAZIL: PHYSICAL AND MINERALOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION

In the northeastern region Brazil, especially in the State of Paraiba, there is a large incidence of non-metallic minerals, among which we may highlight the bentonite clay, ball clay, smectitic clay, kaolin... limestone and mica. In past years, there has been an intense research for discovering new deposits in the State of Paraiba, thus creating expectations for widening the mineral raw production in that region. So, this work is intended to make the physical, mineralogical and technological characterization of smectitic clays from the town of Sossego, PB, Brazil. The characterization was made by means of the following techniques: granulometric analysis by laser diffraction (GA), themogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG and DTA), chemical analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results evidence that the studied clays present the following mineral phases: smectitic, kaolinite and accessory minerals such as quartz, carbonates feldspars and mica.