QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF KAOLIN CLAY FROM OZANAGOGO, UMUTU AND OTORHO, DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Ese Queen Umudi¹ and Toyin Emefiele²

¹Chemistry Department, College of Education, Agbor

²Chemistry Department, Edo State College of Agriculture, Iguoriahi

Email: ese.umudi@yahoo.com

Abstract

The composition of kaolin clay collected from Ozanagogo, Umutu and Otorho in Delta State were studied for their purity, and their mineralogical composition using X-ray diffractometer and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The elemental compositions determined were CaO K₂O, MgO, Na₂O, Fe₂O₃, Al₂O₃, SiO₂ and structural water, while heamatite was a major impurity. The CaO was the major tracer and was within acceptable limits for a variety of uses. Mineralogical analysis revealed the presence of kaolinite and quartz in all CaO ranges from clay types in different amount 10.31% in Otorho to 30.21 in Ozanagogo Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ which were minor tracer element were 29.62%- 39.90% and 30-17- 42.37%. The highest being Ozanagogo clay. The kaolin quality obtained from Ozanagogo was within the limits accepted by British Industrial Standards, (BIS) and American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standard specification for use in manufacturing of many products

Keywords: kaolin, X-diffractometer, Quality, Mineralogy, Clay.