Chemical analyses with X-ray Diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and the influence of the impurities on the quality of kaolin of Tamazert El-Milia, Algeria

Abstract

In this study we taken two samples of kaolin, Iron Kaolin (IK) and White Kaolin (WK) of Tamazert in El-Milia and we have execute a study of the distribution of the different mineralogical phases, as well as the determination of the chemical composition in the different slices of grains concerning the two samples. The analyses by X-ray Diffraction show that the analyzed samples constituted mainly of kaolin with similar content, of Mica (Muscovite-Illite), as well as of Quartz in heavy proportion in the two samples (IK and WK). The existence of some elements as the Goethite and Hematite, as well as the Anatase and the Rutile, generate the disorder in the chemical composition of the Kaolinite. These modifications of structural order are for consequence of change of the quality raw materials of the kaolin extracted from the Tamazert deposit. We remark that these variations are more important for the Iron Kaolin (IK); they are explaining by the presence of more elevated content in silica. However, the increase of these contents is less important for White Kaolin (WK). © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.