No abstract

Currently there is a great concern on the part of the industries with the disposal of waste generated in the production process. The quartzite processing industry generates significant amount of residue, consisting primarily of quartz. The aim of this work is to evaluate the incorporation of quartzite residue, replacing partially the quartz and feldspar, in ceramic mass used in the production of sanitary ware. The raw materials were characterized by chemical and particle size analysis. Compositions were formulated by varying the amount of residue and comparing with an industrial mass, consisted of clay, kaolin, feldspar and quartz. The slip casting process was used in the preparation of the specimens. The results showed that the residue can be considered as an alternative raw material for use in sanitary ware industry, since the ceramic slip presented appropriate rheological properties and after firing process the specimens presented physical and mechanical properties according to the specifications.