Title: Assessment of raw materials for cement industry in Sohag area, upper Egypt

Authors: Ahmed A. Abdel Moneim; El-Haddad A. Aziz; S.A. Abu El-Magd

Addresses: Faculty of Science, Geology Department, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt ' Faculty of Science, Geology Department, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt ' Egyptian Cement Company, Lafarge Group, El-Suez Plant, Egypt

Abstract: In the last few years, cement industry become a major player in materials recycling, although it is environmental polluted industry and a great consumer of limestone and clay. Cement manufacturing depends greatly upon chemical and physical characteristics of raw materials, its quality and quantity, simplicity of its extraction and its costs. Sohag Governorate is surrounded by the Eocene limestone plateaus from the eastern and western sides. The plateaus are overlooking the Pliocene terraces that are made mainly of clays. The present study is aiming to preliminary assessment of the suitability and characteristics of raw materials (limestone and clay) in the eastern part of Sohag area for cement industry. Samples of limestone and clays were collected and analysed for their main oxides. Geological and geochemical investigations indicated the suitability of the Limestone of Drunka formation and the Pliocene clay for the cement industry in the area with considerable reserves.

Keywords: cement industry; raw materials; Sohag limestone; mineral resources; Thebes formation; Drunka formation; Egypt; cement manufacturing; Pliocene clay; oxides.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2013.056868

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2013 Vol.4 No.4, pp.333 - 346

Received: 29 May 2012
Accepted: 08 Apr 2013

Published online: 01 Nov 2013 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article