EXPLORATION OF THE POTENTIALS OF GRANITE SAWING WASTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERAMIC BODIES

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
The granite industry generates a large amount wastes in various grain sizes which lie in heaps in several quarry sites. This material during rainy season constitutes an unhealthy mud causing serious environmental pollution. Despite the potential economic and technological advantages these wastes offer, little is done to utilize them for other industrial applications apart from its use in the building industry. The use of granite waste as alternative material in the production of ceramics has been a viable option by many researchers in other parts of the world. Granite waste has been re-absorbed as secondary raw material in the production of bricks, wall tiles, floor tiles and roofing sheets. This is in response to the global mobilization programme that reveals the strategic importance of waste materials as important source of raw materials for the production of tangible domestic and industrial products. The aim of this study is to adopt granite sawing waste and incorporate it into natural clay to produce a ceramic body that could be used in producing various decorative objects. This granite waste would serve as a tempering material in the formulation of a clay body that fuse at lower temperatures and produce other effects that may create a differential feature and save cost. This process involved the collection of granite sawing waste from three quarry sites across Kaduna state and combining it by studio experiment with primary and secondary clay for the formulation of different body compositions. This effort was successfully carried out and test bars and sample wares were produced and fired between 9000c-12000c. These were subjected to various tests to establish their chemical content, physical and mechanical properties required for a workable body. Result showed that granite combined effectively with ball clay and kaolin to produce four bodies that met the requirement for the production of ceramic wares through the casting method. The bodies obtained shrinkage values of 5-7% and water absorption rate of between 3-22%. They sintered and fused at 12000c and were able to absorb glaze and glaze fusion without any visible defect. This showed that granite can compliment clay in the formulation of bodies for various purposes.