The Physical Properties and Geochemical of Clay from the Bestari Jaya, Kuala Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia for Potential Usage
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EJERS, European Journal of Engineering Research and Science Vol. 5, No. 10, October 2020 The Physical Properties and Geochemical of Clay from the Bestari Jaya, Kuala Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia for Potential Usage M. R. Umor, A. Hussin and N. Muda physicochemical properties of a particular clay. Abstract — The study emphasis on physical properties and This paper presents results of analysis of clay samples geochemical of the clays from Bestari Jaya area to determine its collected from selected borehole in the clay quarry area at the suitability for any commercial application. Nine samples Bestari Jaya, Kuala Selangor, Selangor Malaysia. It is collected from six boreholes as representative of white and dark clay in the study area. All samples examined through the optical anticipating that this study will provide the clays properties test and physical properties such as moisture, specific characteristics in detail which need to critically measure for gravity, Atterberg limit and particle size distributions. The any future commercial application. The similar method used geochemical and mineralogical conducted using XRF and XRD in this paper as stated on [6]. analysis. The clays from Bestari Jaya considered of having variation in the brightness from medium to high brightness as II. GENERAL GEOLOGY shown by Delta L value (51.32-73.49%). The moisture content ranges between 34.50-81.03%. The plasticity index (PI) and Pre-Quaternary rocks and alluvial deposits geologically plasticity limit (PL) values found in ranges of 18-32% with an overlie the area of Bestari Jaya. The pre-Quaternary rock average of 22.22%, and 32-46% with an average of 37.11% classified as shale, schist and phyllite, whereas the alluvial respectively. The plasticity limit and index reveals that the deposits composed mainly of Holocene and Pleistocene Bestari Jaya clays can be classify as kaolinite clays that are sediments [7]. The Simpang Formation is the older sediment suitable for pottery and brick making. The specific gravity ranges between 2.49 – 2.70 with an average of 2.61. The average of Pleistocene age, whereas the younger unit of Holocene age value is similar to the value of pure china clay (2.6). The SiO2 are known as the Beruas Formation and the Gula Formation content in Bestari Jaya clays is between 37.49 – 69.96 wt% and [8]. In other area, The Simpang Formation is namely as Old Al2O3 is between 18.92 – 33.02 wt%. While the L.O.I values are Alluvium, whereas the Beruas Formation is called as the between 8.71-16.04%. Kaolinite as the dominant mineral phases Young Formation [9]. in all clay samples with composition ranges from 65-97.7% and [10] introduced the term of Simpang Formation to describe an average of 73.12%. Apart of that, quartz in ranges of 5.3 – 20.6%, identified in almost all samples. Muscovite, hematite and a unit of gravel, sand, silt, and clay overlying bedrock in the magnetite occur as accessory minerals. Referring to standard Taiping area, with thickness varying from a few metres to and result obtained on representative sample, the Bestari Jaya more than 50 metres from east to the west. The thickness of clays potentially used in the production of smaller tiles for overlying unit can be determine using the seismic method and unexclusive pedestrian traffic. The presence of significance electrical resistivity [11], [12]. [7] restricted the Simpang amount of heavy metals makes it unsuitable to use in the Formation to clay, silt, sand, gravel and peat deposited in a pharmaceutical or paper industry. terrestrial environment before the most recent major low sea Index Terms — Clay, Bestari Jaya, Geochemical, Physical level. [13] used the Beruas Formation to describe fluviatile- Properties. estuarine-lacustrine deposits consisting of clay, sandy clay, sandy gravel, silt and peat in the Beruas area, Perak. I. INTRODUCTION This unit overlies the Simpang Formation, filling channels Clay is a naturally occurring material composed of layered and depressions, as well as overlying bedrock in some places. structures of fine-grained minerals which exhibit the property [7] restricted the Beruas Formation to clay, silt, sand, gravel of plasticity at appropriate water content but becomes and peat deposited in a terrestrial environment before the permanently hard when fired [1], [2]. The clay distribution in most recent major low sea level between 15,000 and 18,000 Malaysia mostly situated in North Peninsular Malaysia such years BP. [10] introduced the Gula Formation to describe a as in Perak. Its usage is famously related with the production sequence of mainly grey to green-grey marine to estuarine of its traditional ceramic product known as ‘labu sayong’ [3]. clay, with subordinate sand occurring in the Taiping area. The Clays deposit in Sayong, Perak and Mukah in Sarawak formation is distinguished from the Beruas Formation and contains kaolinite and quartz as dominant minerals with the Simpang Formation by its lithology. The sediment of green- presence of other elements [4], [5]. Clay minerals have grey colour, presence of marine fossils and low heavy mineral specific physicochemical characteristics. The qualitative and content [8]. quantitative mineralogical composition, as well as the particle The study area is representing by clay, silt and clayey sand size distribution, are the main factors controlling the of the Beruas Formation. The colour is white to yellowish and dark brownish (Fig. 1). Published on October 13, 2020. A. Hussin, University Kebangsaan Malaysia. Malaysia. M. R. Umor, University Kebangsaan Malaysia. Malaysia. N. Muda, University Kebangsaan Malaysia. Malaysia. (e-mail: umor@ ukm.edu.my) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24018/ejers.2020.5.10.2182 Vol 5 | Issue 10 | October 2020 1 EJERS, European Journal of Engineering Research and Science Vol. 5, No. 10, October 2020 properties such as brightness or whiteness of the Bestari Jaya clays were measured by colour spectrophotometer. TABLE I: THE LIST OF SAMPLES No Borehole with depth (m) Field name Colour sample Light gray BJ1 BH 7 (12.0 – 14.0) Silty CLAY fined Sandy Yellowish BJ2 BH 8 (19.5 – 21.5) Clayey SILT stained Whitish BJ3 BH 12 (15.0 - 17.0) Silty SAND clay Whitish BJ4 BH 13 (3.0 - 5.0) Sandy CLAY clay BJ5 BH 13 (11.0 - 13.0) Sandy SILT Yellowish Sandy Silty Dark BJ6 BH 15 (13.0 - 15.0) CLAY brownish Yellow- BJ7 BH 23 (5.0 - 7.0) Sandy CLAY whitish Yellow- BJ8 BH 23 (10.0 - 12.0) Sandy SILT whitish Yellow BJ9 BH 23 (22.0 - 24.0) Silty SAND silty clay IV. RESULTS A. Colour Commercially valuable clays combine of desirable colour light, and it suitably of fine particle size. It has been known Fig 1. The general geology of the study area. that relationships exist between soil colour, physical properties and chemical characteristics of soil [14], [15]. Different elements and compounds of those elements exhibit III. MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY different colours. The sufficient concentrations present can There are 23 borehole conducted in exploration for mining influence the overall colour of a clay sample. Pure kaolin clay. The representative clay sample for laboratory evaluation clays occur in nature as finely divided particulate dispersion was selected from 6 different boreholes. The sample namely of white colour. Its impurities of ferruginous oxides minerals as BJ1 until BJ9 at the maximum depth of 22–24 m. At certain such as rutile, siderite, pyrite, mica and tourmaline often area, excavation of clay already done, and clay stored at shed between 0.5–3.0 %. These minerals contain iron. If the yard. In this study, 9 clay sample from selected boreholes has concentration of these mineral is above threshold, the colour been analyzed for physical, chemical, and mineralogical could be unacceptable and eventually would be affected its properties. The clays are ball clays, appeared mostly greyish, technological performance. whitish with yellow stained and dark brownish (Table 1). Brightness represents the % of reflectance of light. Table 2 The samples need to dry at room temperature and then simplified the findings of colour values for the investigated were crushed using ceramic mortar grinder. The crushing clays. The term Delta L is a measure of lightness/darkness powder then being sieve. Only the particles passed < 63 and varies from 100 for perfect white to 0 for absolute black. micro-m sieve size used for analysis. The clay then divided The red/green color is indicated by Delta a. The more positive into portion for physical analysis and chemical analysis. its value, greater is the reddishness and negative value The chemical composition measured as oxides using 2 g of indicating greenishness. dried and homogenized powder samples. The machine TABLE 2: THE BRIGHTNESS OF CLAY BESTARI JAYA conducted the test is a Bruker S8 Tiger wavelength-dispersive Sample No Delta L Delta a Delta b Total X-Ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) spectrometer equipped with a Rh anticathode at the Centre of Research and Innovation Standard 68.67 1.5 18.39 88.56 Management (CRIM), National University of Malaysia. BJ1 62.37 2.09 17.88 82.34 More than 30 commercially certified reference materials of BJ2 53.19 2.23 12.76 68.18 similar matrix (sedimentary rocks, river, lake and marine sediments, sands and soils) used in the calibration. The BJ3 73.49 1.68 15.81 90.98 determination of Loss On Ignition (L.O.I) using the same BJ4 66.96 1.25 13.55 81.76 powdered samples by heated to 1000 °C for one hour. BJ5 51.32 2.72 13.4 67.44 X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns determine using Bruker BJ6 62.41 3.2 19.34 84.95 diffractometer Model D8 Advance operating with Cu K radiation (Kα 0.15406 nm).