Preliminary mineralogical and geotechnical characterization of kaolin from Abeokuta area, southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Kaolin of sedimentary origin in the Abeokuta area, southwestern Nigeria was studied to determine its mineralogy and geotechnical properties as well as possible industrial applications. Samples of kaolin were collected from different mine sites in the Abeokuta area. Geotechnical test was also performed to determine the grain size parameters and plasticity of the kaolin samples. Samples were also subjected to mineralogical and morphological analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Results revealed that kaolin samples have clay, silt and sand fraction ranging from 7.3 -53.93%, 29.56 – 53.72% and 1.8 to 29.56% respectively. XRD and SEM results revealed that minerals in kaolin are kaolin, quartz, rutile and anatase. Industrial and geotechnical appraisal revealed that some of the samples with high content and low quartz content can be used in production of ceramics and paper while cannot be used in some industrial application such as pottery and production of ceramics due to the grain size geotechnical properties and mineralogy.