Removal of iron and titanium contaminants from Jordanian Kaolins by using chemical leaching

Figures & data

Figure 1. XRD pattern of Batn El-Ghoul kaolin (a) before leaching and (b) after leaching.

Table 1. The chemical results of kaolin samples before and after leaching.

Oxide (%)	Before leaching						After leaching (dithionite)
	K1	K2	K3	K4	K5	Average	K1	K2	K3	K4	K5	Average
SiO2	49.25	48.22	47.60	47.19	47.25	47.90	52.74	50.89	49.26	49.06	49.40	50.27
TiO2	1.15	1.05	1.02	0.95	1.01	1.04	0.80	0.70	0.65	0.60	0.66	0.68
Al203	27.65	29.43	30.78	31.29	31.04	30.04	33.33	35.25	35.88	36.65	36.04	35.43
Fe2O3 (T)	9.32	8.60	7.42	6.41	7.46	7.84	0.65	0.58	0.40	0.34	0.42	0.48
MnO	0.02	0.03	0.01	0.01	0.03	0.02	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
MgO	0.45	0.33	0.19	0.40	0.23	0.32	0.28	0.20	0.14	0.25	0.18	0.21
CaO	0.23	0.24	0.83	0.57	0.34	0A4	0.22	0.20	0.58	0.40	0.30	0.34
Na2O	0.18	0.16	0.23	0.21	0.20	0.20	0.24	0.12	0.18	0.15	0.20	0.18
K2O	0.52	0.76	0.40	0.86	0.42	0.59	0.21	0.32	0.18	0.33	0.21	0.25
LOI^a	10.35	11.10	11.43	12.05	11.62	11.31	10.99	11.62	11.89	12.46	12.02	11.80
Total	99.12	99.92	99.91	99.94	99.60	99.70	99.46	99.88	99.16	100.24	99.43	99.63

^aLOI, loss on ignition at 1000°C, K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Figure 2. Fe₂O₃ content before and after chemical leaching. K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Figure 3. Al₂O₃ content before and after chemical leaching. K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Figure 4. Kaolin content before and after chemical leaching. K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Figure 5. TiO₂ content before and after chemical leaching. K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Figure 6. K₂O content before and after chemical leaching. K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Table 2. Comparative analysis of leached Jordanian kaolin with a refined commercial kaolin and with theoretical kaolinite.

Oxide (%)	Typical refined kaolin						Refined kaolin	Theoretical
	Batn El-Ghoul, Jordan						Georgia, USA [34]	Kaolinite
	K1	K2	K3	K4	K5	Average	Grade A
SiO2	52.74	50.89	49.26	49.06	49.40	50.27	45.40	46.50
TiO2	0.80	0.70	0.65	0.60	0.66	0.68	1.60
Al2O3	33.33	35.25	35.88	36.65	36.04	35.43	38.80	39.50
Fe2O3 (T)	0.65	0.58	0.40	0.34	0.42	0.48	0.31
MnO	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	n.d.
MgO	0.28	0.20	0.14	0.25	0.18	0.21	n.d.
CaO	0.22	0.20	0.58	0.40	0.30	0.34	0.35
Na2O	0.24	0.12	0.18	0.15	0.20	0.18	0.13
K2O	0.21	0.32	0.18	0.33	0.21	0.25	0.02
LOI^a	10.99	11.62	11.89	12.46	12.02	11.80	13.80	14.00
Total	99.46	99.88	99.16	100.24	99.43	99.63	100.41	100.00

^aLOI, loss on ignition at 1000°C, K1–K5: kaolin samples.

Figure 7. Brightness measurements of the analysed samples before and after chemical leaching compared with standard of brightness (MgCO₃).

Figure 8. Typical leached brightness percentage of refined Batn El-Ghoul kaolin compared with a standard of brightness (MgCO₃) and well-known leached kaolins.

Asdell B.K, Wet Processing for brighter kaolin products. Mining Engineering-Annual Meeting; 1967 Nov; Los Angeles. p. 59–65.

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