Initial search for low grade clay in Pakistan for producing LC3 ecofriendly cement

• Published in: LOW-CARBON MATERIALS AND GREEN CONSTRUCTION 2023-05, Vol.1 (1), Article 15
• Main Authors: Hussain, Syed Muhammad Fahad, Sheikh, Muhammad Danyal, Jamil, Tariq, Khan, Asad-ur-Rehman, Ayub, Tehmina, Hu, Chuanlin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2731-6319; 2731-6319
• DOI: 10.1007/s44242-023-00016-4

Industrialization has though brought comfort to our daily lives, but it has placed a lot of pressure on the planet’s natural resources, subsequently, it has adversely affected the environment. As the need for cement in the construction sector has grown, it has climbed dramatically globally. Around the world, more than 10 billion cubic meters of concrete are produced each year; it is doubtful that this volume will decrease. A significant expected rise in CO 2 emissions is caused by increased cement demand. According to the UN Environment Program, buildings are responsible for up to 41% of global anthropogenic carbon emissions. The primary source of greenhouse gases utilized in the manufacturing of cement is clinker. Due to the unsustainable supply of fly ash, calcined clay appears to be a better Supplemental Cementitious Material (SCMs). Kaolin clay is widely available in Pakistan. The purpose of this investigation is to describe the mineral and thermal characteristics of Pakistani clays by examining their geographic distribution. Clay samples were gathered from 39 different places throughout Pakistan during a field investigation program. X-ray diffraction, X-ray Fluorescence, Reactivity, and thermogravimetric analyses were used to analyze the clay samples’ mineral content and thermal characteristics. This study demonstrates that Pakistan has a substantial amount of kaolin clay reserves close to existing groups of cement plants. Pakistani clays can be utilized as SCM in the production of limestone calcined clay cement (LC 3 ) due to the country’s vast kaolin clay reserves. This study further supports the viability of producing LC 3 in the nation by providing a thorough analysis of the cement business, known deposits of qualifying clay, and the country’s cement production process. 尽管工业化使我们的日常生活更加便捷, 但也给地球的自然资源带来了很大的负荷, 以及随之而来的环境负面影响。随着建筑业对水泥的需求不断增加, 全球水泥产量大幅攀升。当前每年全球生产的混凝土超过10亿立方米, 未来混凝土的产量可能还会继续增加, 因此可以预见的是水泥需求量的增加将导致CO 2 排放量的上升。根据联合国环境规划署的数据, 建筑碳排放占全球人为碳排放量的41%。水泥生产中的温室气体主要来源于熟料生产。由于粉煤灰难以持续供应, 煅烧粘土应该是一种更好的辅助胶凝材料 (SCM) 。高岭土在巴基斯坦储量丰富, 这项调研的目的是通过研究巴基斯坦粘土的地理分布及它们的矿物组分和热物理特性。在实地调研中, 从巴基斯坦的39个不同地区收集了不同的粘土样本。通过采用XRD (X-ray diffraction) 、XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) 、反应活性和热重分析分析样本的矿物含量和热物理特性。这项研究表明, 巴基斯坦拥有大量的高岭土储量, 且分布临近现有水泥厂群。因此巴基斯坦拥有的丰富高岭土粘土可与石灰石一起用于LC 3 水泥的生产。通过对水泥业务、已知合格粘土矿床和该国水泥生产过程的全面分析, 这项研究进一步支持了在巴基斯坦生产LC 3 的可行性。