Evaluation kaolinitic-illiticas clays from the guayabo formation of the Cucuta’s Metropolitan Area, Norte de Santander (Colombia)

Abstract

The characterization of clays from the Guayabo Formation at the Cúcuta Metropolitan Area, Norte de Santander (Colombia) is presented. The results of these analyzes allow to determine the properties of these clays and to enhance their use in the manufacture of building materials and in the development of new ceramic materials, creating technological, economic and social impacts in the region, as they can  compete with high quality product in the demanding national and international markets. Thus, through this work, chemical, mineralogical, thermal and physical-ceramic characterizations were performed to determine the structure, composition and behavior of these raw materials. The samples were obtained from two different points of the geological formation, located at the municipalities of Zulia and Villa del Rosario. The information obtained from the chemical characterization, mineralogical, thermal and physical- ceramic, using the techniques of X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Infrared Fourier Transform, was used for evaluation. The results indicate that the clay minerals are composed of hydrous aliminosilicates with presence of some impurities such as sodium, iron, potasium, calcium, titanium and this have ability to be subjected to efforts for shaping by extrusion processes. It is shown that although both samples are from different municipalities in the metropolitan area of Cucuta, have similar characteristics in crystalline phases, functional groups, thermal behavior and ceramic properties.