Mineralogy, chemistry, and plasticity of the raw clay materials,
outcropping in different Tunisian domains were studied. These clays constitute
the only mineral resource of the ceramic industries in Tunisia, and are
exploitable at eight quarries. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that
illite and kaolinite are the major mineral phases. However, other clay minerals, such as illite/ smectite mixed-layer, and
chlorite are also present. The associated minerals detected in powdered
materials are: quartz, calcite, feldspar and, dolomite. These raw materials are
marly clays with 6% - 14% CaO, represented essentially by calcite; they show
the greatest relative amount of Na2O K2O (~3.5%) and
iron-oxide (~6%). The plasticity index and liquid limit of crude samples do not
exceed 22% and 42%, respectively. This indicates that these clays belong to the
zone of illitic clays, classified in the low to moderate plastic domain. The
analysis will be used to find appropriate applications for traditional ceramic.
In addition, this paper shows that the ceramic defects observed in the pieces
manufactured from these Tunisian clays are lamination, cracks, andlower
mechanical and bending strength. Some solutions are assured to avoid these
ceramic defects.
Cite this paper
Mahmoudi, S. , Srasra, E. and Zargouni, F. (2015). Identification and Ceramic Application of Some Tunisian Clays. Open Access Library Journal, 2, e998. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1100998.
Bouaziz, S., Jedoui, Y., Barrier, E. and Angelier, J. (2003) Neotectonics in the Tyrrhenian Marine Deposits
of the Southeastern Tunisian Coast: Implications for Sea Level Changes. Comptes
Rendus Geosciences, 335, 247-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1631-0713(03)00031-2
Ben
Ferjani, A., Burollet, P.F. and Mejri, F. (2006) Petroleum
Geology of Tunisia. Mémoires Entreprise Tunisienne des Activités pétrolières (A Renewed Synthesis), 22,
230 p.
Baccour, H., Medhioub, M., Jamoussi, F., Mhiri, T. and Daoud, A. (2008) Mineralogical Evaluation and Industrial Applications of
the Triassic Clay Deposits, Southern Tunisia. Materials Characterization, 59, 1613-1622. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2008.02.008
Baccour, H., Medhioub, M., Jamoussi, F. and Mhiri, T. (2009) Influence of Firing
Temperature on the Ceramic Properties of Triassic Clays from Tunisia. Journal
of Materials Processing Technology, 209,
2812-2817. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2008.06.055
Mahmoudi, S., Srasra, E. and Zargouni, F. (2008) The Use
of Tunisian Barremian Clay in the Traditional Ceramic Industry: Optimization of
Ceramic Properties. Applied Clay Science, 42, 125-129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2007.12.008
Mahmoudi, S., Srasra, E. and Zargouni, F. (2010) Firing Behaviour of the Lower Cretaceous Clays of Tunisia. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 58, 235-241. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2010.03.004
Ben M’Barek, M., Srasra, E. and Zargouni, F. (2002)
Characterization of Paleocene Clays in the North West of Tunisia and Their Use
in the Field of Ceramics. Africa Geosciences Reviews, 9, 107-117. (In French)
Jeridi, K., Hachani, M., Hajjaji, W., Moussi, B., Medhioub, M., Lopez-Galindo, A., Kooli, F., Zagouni, F., Labrincha, J.A. and Jamoussi, F. (2008) Technological
Behaviour of Some Tunisian Clays Prepared by Dry Ceramic Processing. Clay Minerals,
43, 339-350. http://dx.doi.org/10.1180/claymin.2008.043.3.01
Proust,
C., Jullien, A. and Forestier, L. (2004) Determination of Atterberg Limits by Dynamic
Gravimetry. Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 336, 1233-1238. (In French) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crte.2004.06.003
Yu, H.S., Khong, C. and Wang, J. (2007) A Unified Plasticity Model for Cyclic Behaviour of Clay
and Sand. Mechanics Research Communications, 34, 97-114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mechrescom.2006.06.010
Gallala, W., Gaied, M.E. and Montacer, M. (2009) Detrital Mode, Mineralogy and Geochemistry of the
Sidi Aich Formation (Early Cretaceous) in Central and Southwestern Tunisia:
Implications for Provenance, Tectonic Setting and Paleoenvironment. Journal
of African Earth Sciences, 53, 159-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2009.01.002
Carretero, M.I., Dondi, M., Fabbri, B. and Raimondo, M. (2002) The Influence of
Shaping and Firing Technology on Ceramic Properties of Calcareous and
Non-Calcareous Illitic-Chloritic Clays. Applied Clay Science, 20, 301-306. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0169-1317(01)00076-X
Ferrari, S. and Gualteri, A.F. (2006) The Use of Illitic
Clays in the Production Stoneware Tile Ceramics. Applied Clay Science, 32,
73-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2005.10.001
Sedmale, G., Sperberga,
I., Sedmalis,
U. and
Valancius, Z. (2006) Formation of High-Temperature Crystalline Phases in Ceramic
from Illite Clay and Dolomite. Journal
of the European Ceramic Society, 26,
3351-3355. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2005.10.012
Wattanasiriwech,
D., Srijan, K. and Wattanasiriwech, S. (2009) Vitrification of Illitic Clay from Malaysia. Applied Clay Science, 43, 57-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2008.07.018
Dondi, M. (1999) Clay Materials
for Ceramic Tiles from the Sassuolo District (Northern Apennines, Italy), Geology,
Composition and Technological Properties. Applied Clay Science, 15, 337-366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0169-1317(99)00027-7
Jordán, M.M., Sanfeliu, T. and De la Fuente, C. (2001) Firing
Transformations of Tertiary Clays Used in the Manufacturing of Ceramic Tiles
Bodies. Applied Clay Science,
20, 87-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0169-1317(00)00044-2
Sousa, S.J.G. and Holanda, J.N.F. (2005) Development of Red Wall Tiles by the Dry Process Using Brazilian
Raw Materials. Ceramics International, 31, 215-222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2004.05.003
Holtz, X. and
Kovacs, X. (1981) The Relationship
between Geology and Landslide Hazards of Atchison, Kansas and Vicinity. Kansas Geotechnical Survey. Current Research in Earth Science, 3, 244.
Van der Merwe, D.H. (1964) Prediction of Heave from
the Plasticity Index and Percentage of Clay Fraction of Soils. Transactions
of the South African Institution of Civil Engineers, 6, 103-107.
Negre,
F., Sánchez, E., García, J., Sanz, V. and Jarque, J.C. (1998) Evaluating
Lamination in Porcelain Tile-I: Measurement.American Ceramic Society Bulletin, 77,
63-68.
Romagnoli, M., Burani, M., Tari, G. and Ferreira, J.M.F. (2007) A Non-Destructive
Method to Assess Delamination of Ceramic Tiles. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 27,
1631-1636. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2006.05.069
González-García, F., Romero-Acosta, V., Garcia-Ramos, G. and González-Rodriguez, M. (1990) Firing Transformations of Mixtures of
Clays Containing Illite, Kaolinite and Calcium Carbonate Used by Ornamental
Tile Industries. Applied Clay Science, 5, 361-375. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0169-1317(90)90031-J
Montano, P.A. and Vaishnava, P.P. (1982) In Situ57Fe Mossbauer Study of the
Thermodynamics and the Reaction Kinetics of FeS2. Proceedings of
Indian Science Academy, Jaipur, India, 9, 281-283.
Assal,
H.H., El-Didamony, H., Ramez, M. and Mossalamy, F.H. (1999) The Role of Lime
Inclusions on the Properties of Fired Clay Articles.Industrial Ceramics, 19, 82-92.
