Mullite-Based Ceramics from Mining Waste: A Review

• Main Authors: Maximina Romero, Isabel Padilla, Manuel Contreras, Aurora López-Delgado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Minerals
• Subjects: mullite; clay-based ceramics; mining waste; sterile; tailings; iron and aluminum waste
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/3/332

Mullite (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₂) is an aluminosilicate characterized by excellent physical properties, which makes it an important ceramic material. In this way, ceramics based on mullite find applications in different technological fields as refractory material (metallurgy, glass, ceramics, etc.), matrix in composite materials for high temperature applications, substrate in multilayer packaging, protective coatings, components of turbine engines, windows transparent to infrared radiation, etc. However, mullite is scarce in nature so it has to be manufactured through different synthesis methods, such as sintering, melting-crystallization or through a sol-gel route. Commonly, mullite is fabricated from pure technical grade raw materials, making the manufacturing process expensive. An alternative to lowering the cost is the use of mining waste as silica (SiO₂) and alumina (Al₂O₃) feedstock, which are the necessary chemical compounds required to manufacture mullite ceramics. In addition to the economic benefits, the use of mining waste brings out environmental benefits as it prevents the over-exploitation of natural resources and reduces the volume of mining waste that needs to be managed. This article reviews the scientific studies carried out in order to use waste (steriles and tailings) generated in mining activities for the manufacture of clay-based ceramic materials containing mullite as a main crystalline phase.