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Recycling of low-silicate iron tailings in the production of lightweight building materials

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Abstract

A feasible process for preparing lightweight building materials from the low-silicate iron tailings was developed. Various proportions of bentonite, expanded perlite and feldspar were mixed into iron tailings to serve as binder, pore former and fluxing agent, respectively. The effects of blending ratios of raw materials and firing temperatures on the final product’s properties were investigated in laboratory-scale trials. It was found that the optimal ratios of materials were 46 wt.% iron tailings, 19 wt.% bentonite, 25 wt.% expanded perlite and 10 wt.% feldspar. The best firing temperature was 900 °C. The properties of the new material were: bulk density 0.90 g cm–3; compressive strength 8.5 MPa; apparent porosity 42.96%; and thermal conductivity coefficient 0.222 W/(m·K), all meeting Chinese Standard Specifications for Fired Heat Preservation Brick and Block (GB 26538-2011) for MU7.5 bricks. The phase compositions and microstructure of the material specimens were analyzed by XRD and SEM, showing that the main mineral phases in the materials were quartz, hematite, mullite, anorthite, microcline and albite. The internal structure contained adequate micropores, which contributed to the mechanical properties and lightweight index of the final product.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Open Foundation of State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Mineral Metallurgical Resources Utilization and Pollution Control (HB201913), Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China (No.ZRMS2018000825) and the Science Foundation of. Wuhan Science and Technology Planning Project (No. 2020020601012274).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Mineral Metallurgical Resources Utilization and Pollution Control, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, China

    Yongliang Chen

  2. College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, China

    Yongliang Chen, Junbao Chen, Tiejun Chen & Dajun Ren

  3. Golder Associates Pty Ltd., Northbridge, 6003, WA, Australia

    Jianhua Du

  4. College of Resource Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China

    Xuedong Wang

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  1. Yongliang Chen
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Chen, Y., Chen, J., Du, J. et al. Recycling of low-silicate iron tailings in the production of lightweight building materials. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 24, 506–516 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-021-01336-y

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