Bentonites in Southern Spain. Characterization and Applications

The objective of this work was to investigate and demonstrate the pozzolanic properties bentonites found at San José–Los Escullos deposit, located in southeast Iberian Peninsula, be used manufacturing more durable environmentally compatible cements, mortars concretes. These are mainly composed smectites, with montmorillonite as main clay mineral. They were formed by hydrothermal alteration tuffs, volcanic glasses, dacites, rhyolites andesites. For research, samples taken from outcrops on south, north west side Los Trancos deposit 19.3 km northeast. All consisted bentonites, except for a zeolite sample northern flank which contrast compare behaviour bentonite some analyses that done. An investigation mineralogical, petrological, chemical thermogravimetric characteristics carried out using various methods, such XRD, OA (Oriented aggregates), TGA, XRF, SEM thin section petrography (TSP). In addition, analysis pozzolanicity (CAP) done 8 15 days determine capacity samples. TSP studies showed these have complex mineralogical constitution, smectites variety, well halloysite, illite, vermiculite, biotite, muscovite, kaolinite, chlorite, mordenite, feldspar, pyroxene, amphibole, calcite, glass quartz. Thermogravimetric (TGA) established thermal stability studied above 800 °C. Chemical confirmed character exhibited their reactive Ca(OH)2. reactivity increased significantly days. results show materials can quality pozzolans manufacture