Is spodumene flotation tailings suitable for the preparation of ceramics?

Abstract

In this paper, an investigation was conducted on the effects arising from albite, K-feldspar, quartz (three particle sizes) and muscovite (two particle sizes) of spodumene flotation tailings on ceramics, as well as the corresponding crystal changes. As indicated by the results, albite and K-feldspar positively impacted the strength of ceramic materials. The flexural strength of ceramics was increased with the decrease in the particle size of quartz. The flexural strength and linear shrinkage of ceramic materials was increased with decreased particle size of muscovite. The melting of albite and the formation of eutectic phase from albite and quart filled the pores between mineral particles, which were found as the major sintering mechanism of ceramics. Furthermore, during the sintering process, the crystal phase transformation of α-quartz to β-quartz and the de-hydroxylation of muscovite and kaolinite was occurred. Lastly, tailings have the potential to be used as raw materials for ceramic materials. Quartz could be used as ridge materials and green materials for permeable ceramics, albite could be used as flux for low temperature sintered ceramics, and muscovite could be used to prepare mullite refractories.