Characterization of material for cement production in Mbuji-Mayi area (DR Congo)

Although the City of Mbuji-Mayi (DR Congo) is rich in limestone and clay deposits, cement and other building materials are still being imported sometimes by plane from Kinshasa, Zambia and Tanzania. A consequence of this situation is low consumption of cement and concrete (less than 1kg per capita) and a lack of modern and sustainable infrastructures. Our study provides a qualitative assessment of all cement raw materials available in the region, including limestone and clay in order to produce hydraulic binder with optimized technical and environmental performances. Chemical and mineralogical characterizations were done using XRF spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal analysis, electron microscopy, and mechanical characterizations are planned to assess the performance of the concrete and mortar manufactured with the binder produced. Finally, the ultimate goal is to produce a local hydraulic binder whose physical and mechanical characteristics are similar to those of Portland cement, but whose production is expected to consume less energy and emit less CO2.Caractérisation physico-chimiques et minéralogiques de matériaux calcaro-dolomitiques en vue de la production de chaux, ciment et produits dérivés

Géoressources, Environnement & Economie Circulaire

12. Responsible consumption and productio

3D IMAGING OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES: A REVIEW

peer reviewedIn recent years, impressive progress has been made in digital imaging and in particular in three dimensional visualisation and analysis of objects. This paper reviews the most recent literature on three dimensional imaging with a special attention to particulate systems analysis. After an introduction recalling some important concepts in spatial sampling and digital imaging, the paper reviews a series of techniques with a clear distinction between the surfometric and volumetric principles. The literature review is as broad as possible covering materials science as well as biology while keeping an eye on emerging technologies in optics and physics. The paper should be of interest to any scientist trying to picture particles in 3D with the best possible resolution for accurate size and shape estimation. Though techniques are adequate for nanoscopic and microscopic particles, no special size limit has been considered while compiling the review

Techniques and applications for predictive metallurgy and ore

peer reviewe

Rethinking the lifecycle of materials and metals

It is estimated that for every European an average of 10 tons of steel, 200 kg of copper, 60 grams of gold or 3 kg of nickel have been extracted from the earth crust and are still immobilized in the Anthroposphere (UNEP, Metal Stocks in Society, 2010) . The lifetime of these metals is highly variable and ranges from several centuries for the most remarkable steel structures to only a few days for aluminium in single-use packaging. While in the natural environment metals are usually found in a reasonably small number of valuable mineral forms (ex. (Zn,Fe)S or (Fe,Ni)9S8) the diversity and variability of man-made phases is truly horrendous. Moreover, these phases are often extremely fine grained (nanomaterials, microelectronics) and strongly bound together in a plastic or glass gangue material. Classical mineral processing techniques applied to man-made artefacts usually achieve very poor performance in terms of phase separation and selective concentration. This is particularly true for the most recent technologies of lighting and energy storage which are being deployed at great pace and in the most distant places to satisfy the ambitious targets of the Green Deal. It is our belief, that if we do not take adequate action to redesign our products and rethink the way we disseminate our technologies, future generations will be faced with enormous challenges to efficiently build and recycle the urban mine. In this talk we will have a closer look at recycling challenges posed by some of the most recent technologies. Based on the necessity of adopting a “geomimetic” approach, we will also list some important criteria to be considered in building the Anthropogenic mines of the future. Finally, we will share some thoughts on key technologies to be developed in order to facilitate recycling and to improve sorting and selective concentration of components, phases and ultimately metals at end-of-life.12. Responsible consumption and productio