Purificación del caolín que se desecha en la Concesión Minera Ximena II

Abstract

This thesis aimed to investigate on the purification of the kaolin that is discarded in the Ximena II Mine, located in Limón Indanza canton, Santa Susana de Chiviaza civil parish. The research began with the collection of kaolin samples based on three different characteristics and coloring, being the reddish with the highest iron content. The characterization of the samples was carried out; the particles were processed by crushing and grinding and then passed through a #200 sieve; the same amount of each sample was weighed and homogenized. Physical tests were carried out to determine: granulometry, liquid and plastic limit, plasticity index; obtaining the following results: based on granulometry tests, 90% of the particles passed through the #200 sieve; the liquid limit was 90.42%, the plastic limit 46.87% and the plasticity index 43.55%; therefore, it is a CH soil type (high plasticity clays with a liquid limit greater than 50% and very compressible). For the electrolytic treatment, a pilot plant was set up consisting of a container containing the sample to be treated; two rods, one was the electrolytic copper anode and the other the stainless steel cathode; a 16V and 2 amp power source. 500g of homogenized sample were weighed and dissolved in acid water of PH=5; once the electrolysis tests were completed, the treated samples were analyzed chemically and by means of physical-ceramic tests. Chemically, there was a 1% reduction in iron oxide the greater the amount of acid water with respect to the dissolved solids. Afterward the physical-ceramic tests, following firing, there were changes such as the coloration which gave a cream-white tone, and the shrinkage was 20.40%.