Chapter Five
5. Technological Properties and Possible Fields of Applications for Belessa Kaolin
5.1. Introduction
To determine the suitability of kaolin deposits for various industrial applications, assessing their technological properties is the key factor. Physical property tests, chemical compositions and crystal morphology are those properties used in order to assess the quality and commercial viability of kaolin. These properties are use related properties and they are industry specific. In this study, some available laboratory tests and previous works from Haile Mickael (2003) are used to elucidate the possible industrial applications. Furthermore, the Belessa kaolin is compared with the known world kaolin deposits, international standards and specifications required by different industries.
5.2. Technological Properties
The Belessa kaolin deposits are characterized by different technological properties. Grain size analysis and viscosity result are taken from the study of Haile Mickael (2003). Whereas, density (bulk and specific gravity), plasticity and PH are among the available laboratory tests used in the present study. The color is used here by simple observation and comparing it with Munsell Soil Color chart. Moreover, the major oxide, some trace …show more content…
Thus, along with its color kaolin is commercially more valuable when it is fine particle size. Table 5.1 and figure 5 shows the grain size analysis result obtained from Haile Mickale, (2003). According to these data, the particle size distributions show that the kaolin is rich in terms of clay size fractions (63 % < 10 μm and > 53 μm) which are in agreement to most of the industry specifications. Regarding the qualitative determinations of color, the kaolin samples are characterized by white, gray and red. The white one is much whiter than the white color found in the Munsell Soil Color
5. Technological Properties and Possible Fields of Applications for Belessa Kaolin
5.1. Introduction
To determine the suitability of kaolin deposits for various industrial applications, assessing their technological properties is the key factor. Physical property tests, chemical compositions and crystal morphology are those properties used in order to assess the quality and commercial viability of kaolin. These properties are use related properties and they are industry specific. In this study, some available laboratory tests and previous works from Haile Mickael (2003) are used to elucidate the possible industrial applications. Furthermore, the Belessa kaolin is compared with the known world kaolin deposits, international standards and specifications required by different industries.
5.2. Technological Properties
The Belessa kaolin deposits are characterized by different technological properties. Grain size analysis and viscosity result are taken from the study of Haile Mickael (2003). Whereas, density (bulk and specific gravity), plasticity and PH are among the available laboratory tests used in the present study. The color is used here by simple observation and comparing it with Munsell Soil Color chart. Moreover, the major oxide, some trace …show more content…
Thus, along with its color kaolin is commercially more valuable when it is fine particle size. Table 5.1 and figure 5 shows the grain size analysis result obtained from Haile Mickale, (2003). According to these data, the particle size distributions show that the kaolin is rich in terms of clay size fractions (63 % < 10 μm and > 53 μm) which are in agreement to most of the industry specifications. Regarding the qualitative determinations of color, the kaolin samples are characterized by white, gray and red. The white one is much whiter than the white color found in the Munsell Soil Color