Evaluation of the Foundry Properties of Stabilized Ile-Ife and Akure Anthill Clay

Abstract

The samples were sourced from the teak plantation in the Federal University of Akure, Ondo, State and Moremi street in Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria. The clay samples were pulverized and grounded using the Denver Laboratory Jaw Crusher, Model BDA 15561 and ground/milled using Bico Ball Milling Machine, Model 69012 (USA), and sieved using the combination of BS Sieve no 10 (2.00mm), BS sieve no 16 (1.18mm), BS sieve no 20 (850μm to be free of stones and gravels. Akure Anthill clay in its crude was characterized using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescent Spectrometer (ED-XRFS) and assayed 21.97% Fe2O3, 44.50% SiO2, 27% Al2O3, 3.03% TiO2, 1.43% K2O, 0.32% CaO, 0.37% RuO2, 1.38% BDL. Ile-Ife anthill clay in its crude was also characterized and found to contain 17.27% Fe2O3, 50.8% SiO2, 26% Al2O3, 2.20% TiO2, 1.37% K2O, 1.16% CaO, 0.31% RuO2, 0.46% BDL. The refractoriness of this anthill was also investigated and found to be 1400°C. This implies that both Akure and Ile-Ife anthill clay is not suitable for application in furnaces carrying out operations and melting operations at elevated temperatures beyond 1400°C. But it possesses good thermal stability at 10% bentonite, 10% kaolin and 25% bentonite respectively which is one of the characteristics or properties of the clay sample which makes it suitable for low refractory furnace lining applications.