TITLE:
Potential of Some Granites from Foumban (West Region of Cameroon) as Fluxing Materials for Ceramics
AUTHORS:
Njimbouombouo Mouliom Soualiou, Etone Macka Alexandre Dodo, Ondoua Abondo Ebengue Yannick, Che Randy Nangah, Njoya André, Mouncherou Oumar Farouk, Ndigui Billong
KEYWORDS:
Feldspars, Granite, Characterization, Fusibility, Ceramics, Foumban, Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.8 No.5,
August
7,
2020
ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the mineralogical, geochemical
and petrographic characterization of three granite rock samples (LTP, LTS and
LTMB) from Foumban, West Region of Cameroon. Fusibility tests were carried out
on the samples containing the highest amount of alkali to assess the potential
of these materials as fluxing admixture for ceramics. The results show that the
granite consists of alkaline feldspars, notably orthoclase and microcline of
perthitic micro-texture, plagioclases (in particular albite) and also mafic
minerals such as amphibole and pyroxene. The quantity of alkali in the samples is quite high (16.83% for LTS,
17.08% for LTMB and 18.87% for LTP) compared to standard data. Fusibility tests
carried out on the samples having the highest alkali content (LTMB and LTP)
showed that the vitreous phase appears between 1050°C and 1100°C in these samples when they
were heated. The Fe2O3 and TiO2 content of
LTMB (3.01% and 1.49% respectively) led
to a brown colour of its fired product. Therefore, based on their composition,
these materials can be used as feldspathic fluxes for the formulation of
ceramic products.