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Jarosite characteristics and its utilisation potentials
Asokan Pappu1, Mohini Saxena, Shyam R Asolekar
1Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Habib Ganj Naka, Bhopal-462026, India. asokanp3@yahoo.co.in
The Science of the Total Environment
|June 28, 2005
Summary
This study investigates using industrial jarosite waste to create value-added building materials. Researchers found that jarosite mixed with sand and coal combustion residues can be used to produce durable bricks, offering a sustainable disposal solution.
Area of Science:
- Waste Management
- Materials Science
- Environmental Engineering
Background:
- Jarosite is a significant solid residue from metallic zinc extraction, posing environmental disposal challenges due to its complex composition and pollutant content.
- Accumulated jarosite and its increasing production contribute to soil, vegetation, and aquatic life pollution, necessitating stringent environmental regulations for safe disposal.
- The chemical and physical characteristics of jarosite, including its high concentrations of iron, sulfur, and zinc, along with heavy metals, complicate its environmental management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the characteristics of Indian jarosite for potential recycling and utilization as a raw material for value-added products.
- To investigate the feasibility of using jarosite in the development of building materials, specifically fired bricks.
- To assess the impact of admixtures like sand and Coal Combustion Residues (CCRs) on jarosite's workability and the detoxification of toxic substances.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of Indian jarosite and Coal Combustion Residues (CCRs) including particle size analysis, mineral phase identification (XRD), and chemical composition (XRF).
- Assessment of physical properties such as texture, electrical conductivity, density, and water absorption capacity.
- Experimental trials using statistically designed experiments to produce and test fired jarosite bricks with varying ratios of jarosite, sand, and CCRs.
Main Results:
- Jarosite was characterized as silty clay loam with finer particle size (D90=16.21 µm) compared to CCRs (D90=19.72 µm).
- The major mineral phases identified were Potassium Iron Sulphate Hydroxide in jarosite and quartz, mullite, and hematite in CCRs.
- Fired jarosite bricks (3:1 jarosite to sand ratio) exhibited promising properties: density (1.51 g/cm³), water absorption (17.46%), and compressive strength (43.4 kg/cm²).
- Jarosite showed higher electrical conductivity and concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Cd) compared to CCRs.
Conclusions:
- Indian jarosite possesses characteristics suitable for recycling and developing value-added products, particularly building materials.
- The addition of sand and CCRs can improve workability and potentially aid in detoxifying jarosite for use in construction.
- Fired bricks produced from jarosite mixtures demonstrate viable mechanical properties, indicating a potential sustainable solution for jarosite waste management and resource utilization.