Mineralogical, physicochemical and thermal investigations of Taibet and Tendla sands material from the Northern Algerian Sahara

Abstract

The increasing demand for silicate-based inorganic materials, depleting mineral resources and a growing desertification phenomenon force us to expedite the industrial application of desert sand for environmentally sustainable development. In the present study, the mineralogy, microstructure, phase composition, and thermogravimetric characteristics of Algerian Sahara sand were deeply examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Scanning electronic microscope (SEM/EDX) and Thermal analysis (ATG/DTA). The XRD results show that sand samples are very rich in α-quartz with a low content of calcite (CaCO3) and Albite (NaAlSi3O8), and the quartz crystallite size was in the range of 136-227 nm with high crystallinity. Furthermore, the FTIR, EDX, and XRF analysis demonstrate the dominance of silicon dioxide (90-95 % SiO2), besides a low ratio of calcium oxide (0.93-3.48 % CaO), and other oxides such as Al2O3, and Fe2O3. As well as Sahara sand particles were not uniform, which exhibited a variety of morphology and microstructure. ATG/DTA analysis confirms these findings and indicates that this sand was stable at high temperatures. These properties are beneficial in understanding the process and controlling the synthesis and characteristics of the Sahara-sand materials.