The volume of waste generated by mining and mineral processing industries has escalated each day because of increased demand caused by global economic growth. The kaolin processing industries are important economic segments in the state of Paraiba, but generate huge amounts of waste. An alternative for the recycling of this waste is its use in mortars. The kaolin contained in wastes after thermal treatment can reduce the consumption of cement in the production of mortars. It was evaluated the influence of firing temperatures of the residue on its pozzolanic activity. The residue was fired at temperatures of 600°C, 700°C and 800°C for 2h and subjected to mineralogical analysis. The evaluation produced the mortar with a mixture of kaolin waste burned at temperatures of 600°C, 700°C and 800°C with lime delivering true a good mechanical performance, reaching values of compressive strength greater than the legislated.

Industrial wastes reuse becomes attractive to raw materials economy and to avoid environmental problems. The aim of this study is to develop and characterize tubular ceramic membranes using in their composition inorganic residues generated in the industries, such as, granite, alumina residue from calcination process and kaolin. Initially, it was performed the physical chemical and mineralogical characterization of the residues. Different formulations of ceramic masses have been studied with incorporation of residue, clay and additives for producing tubular membranes through the extrusion process. The membranes were characterized by SEM and flow measurements with distilled water. The membranes were applied to effluent treatment from textile and oil industry. The granite residue showed a high content of SiO2and Al2O3in its chemical composition and significant amount of iron and calcium oxides resulting from the granite processing. The granite residue presented average particle size of 13.98 µm. The residue from alumina process contain gibbsite and α-alumina, and average particles size of 15.68 µm. The residue from kaolin processing presented high content of quartz and alumina and average particles size of 29.0 µm. The tubular membrane produced with granite residue presented porosity from 17 to 30%, pores size in the range of 0.06 to 0.14µm and water flow from 10 (at 2 Bar) to 24 L/h.m2(at 4 Bar). These membranes retained 100% of indigo particles and was effective in the separation of indigo. The membrane prepared with alumina residue presented porosity close to 58% , pore size of 0.96 µm and water flow from 68 to 80 L/h.m2(at 2 Bar). These membranes were applied with successes in the separation of water from emulsion (100 ppm oil/water) with rejection above 96%. The membrane prepared with kaolin residue presented pore size from 0.16 to 0.22 µm, porosity from 41 to 44% and water flow from 53 to 70 L/h.m2. The ceramic membranes with industrial residues were successfully produced and applied in the treatment of industrial effluents.