Effect of thermal treatment and addition of dolomitic limestone on the kinetics of potassium release of nephelinic sienite from Poços de Caldas, M.G., Brazil

Abstract

An experiment was carried out in order to study the effects of thermal treatment and of the addition of dolomitic limestone on the release of potassium from a nephelinic sienite from Poços de Caldas. The potassium silicate was blended with dolomitic limestone in the proportions, respectively, of 1:1 and 3:1. The mistures were calcined at the temperatures of 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1300°C and subject to fusion. The materials afterwards were shaken with water (ratio 1:100, w/v) for 1, 4, 8, 12 , 24, 36 and 48 hours. The untreated K rock was used as control. Both thermal treatment and addition of dolomitic limestone, increased the liberation of K which was higher when the mixture was prepared using the 1:1 ratio and the temperatures of calcination were in the range of 1000 - 1100°C.