Assessment of Mixed Siliceous-Clay-Carbonate Rocks of the South of Russia as Raw Materials for the Production of Ceramic Stones

This article examines the pressing issue of reducing the use of wall ceramics in the construction of buildings and structures by using autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. While these blocks offer some positive aspects, they also have a number of operational drawbacks (high moisture absorption, shrinkage, and the need for specialized mortars). The authors propose the production of large-format ceramic stones based on mixed siliceous-clayey-carbonate rocks of southern Russia (using the Etokskoye deposit as an example) as a promising way to address the current situation. A detailed mineralogical and petrographic characterization of the proposed raw materials is provided, and the need to refine the existing classification of mixed rocks for the ceramic industry is substantiated. Experiments have shown that rigid extrusion with the addition of a mineralizer (an alkaline component at up to 1.0% of the dry weight) and prolonged exposure to temperatures above 1000^оC results in the formation of a glass-crystalline structure of the body with new formations (labradorite-anorthite, wollastonite, and gehlenite). A conclusion has been drawn regarding the feasibility of further studying the influence of mineralizers and the introduction of burnable additives to improve thermal performance, as well as the need to develop industry recommendations for the geological evaluation of mixed siliceous-clayey-carbonate rocks as a suitable raw material for the production of highly hollow (up to 60%) ceramic wall blocks.

А.G. ZEMLYANSKAYA, Candidate of Sciences (Engineering) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.),
K.A. LAPUNOVA, Candidate of Sciences (Engineering) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.),
V.D. KOTLYAR, Doctor of Sciences (Engineering) (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Don State Technical University (1, Gagarina Square, Rostov-on-Don, 344003, Russian Federation)

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