New Perspectives in Science Education

The present work was developed due to the necessity of analyzing the sand residue that results from the processing of this material in the mortar industry, in order to make its use viable. The use of tailings results in benefits for the environment besides increasing the profitability of producing companies, as the material removed from the deposits is intensively used, reducing process losses and providing an alternative for the market. Therefore, the starting point was an examination of the mineralogical composition of the residue using x-ray diffraction. Subsequently, an x-ray fluorescence test was performed to help identify minerals observer using chemical composition. In the end of the experiment, it was verified whether the analyzed residue could have applications in civil construction. According to the National Department of Mineral Production - NDMP, sand for construction is produced all over the country and is usually extracted by dredging the river bottom or by dismantling pits. Also according to the NDMP, in 2012 the national production was close to 370 million tons, strongly influenced by the promising moment of the civil construction sector in that period. Due to the characteristics, applications and economic value of this material, its use by  producers and consumers as aggregates in civil construction differs from those of industrial sand. Construction sands are used for their physical properties, while industrial sands are valued for their physical and chemical properties (BGS, 2009). However, natural sand, being a material of great use in engineering works, has suffered a progressive depletion of its deposits, with a consequent increase in its cost and the search for alternative solutions, such as artificial sands and the residues in this study.

BGS - British Geological Survey. Mineral Planning Factsheet - Silica Sand. Setembro, 2009. Available in: www.mineralsUK.com