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Development of Thai Dolomite for Basic Refractories > UNIDO Contract Uc. 77/112 UN-K-12624 - 330 0 i Pro je ct findings and recommendations , Final Report prepared by: Dr. Rex W. Orimshaw, O.Sc., Ph.D., F .R .I.C ., F.Inst.Ceram., M.I.M.N. C.Chen., C.Eng. (Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering. University of Leeds, England). Mrs. ladawal Chotinongkcl, B.Sc. (Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research). (i) SUGARY The dolomite resources c f Thailand have been surveyed and several surface deposits located. From thoir occurrence and nature some knowledge of the geology of Thailand has emerged. Several deposits were cf excellent quality and equivalent to the best industrially-em ployed dolomites of Western Europe. The dolomite industry, particularly in Europe, has been examined with especial reference to the conditions reouired for producing dolomite refra cto ries and sea water magnesia from dolo­ mites. The main user Industries have been id e n tifie d and the likely application ir Thailand. From the techniques which have been acquired, maonesia of ♦98? q u a lity with a yield in excess of 97? has been produced under laboratory conditions from sea water from the Gulf of Thailand and Karohanaburi dolomite. Ceramically-bondcd bricks from Thai land dolomite have also been produced and those have been shown tc have properties ecu¡valent to the best European qualities. A feasibility exercise has proved that dolomite refractories production will be vial le in Thailand and will have considerable economic b e n e fit. The production of sea water magnesia would bo less favourable but the bitterns from sea salt production would form a more acceptable startin g m ateria l. If agreement to supply other ASEAN countries could be reached large scale industries for both re fra c to rie s and magnesia would be viable In Thailand. (U) ACK NOW LE DGF MTS The authors nro grateful to UNIDO, Vienna for a erant to corr.'lote this work; to the University of Lae^s (Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering) anH to the Tneilanr! Institute of Scientific an'-* Technoiogi cal research for providing assistance and personnel. Special thanks are dm to the Stoat Ioy Co. L td ., Worksop, Unif.it Kingdom ant to several of their senior personnel without whom much of the successful high temperature nrr! largo scale ta s tin g would have been impossible. Their contribution to teas I - hi lit 1/ studies based on vast experience was also Invaluable. We acknowledge also tho help and frie n d ly cc-o-'oration given !>y Dr. w. Munchborg, Delomitwerke, W ulfrath, West Germany, Herr Helmut Merk.er o f T rie r Kalk, Mr. Christian Jacgues of f’roduits Do I omf tig ties do Merlonont, Belgium and Dr. G. AMard of Do I oral 9 Fran cal so and many others. (Ill) LIST DF C'.’NTSNTS Pape No. Chaptor I INTRODUCTION I Chan to r 11 GEOLOGY AND OCCURRENCES 7 OF DOLOMITE IN THAI LAND a) General Geolocy h) Goolopy o f Dolomite in Thai Ian*1 c) Naturo of Dolomite d) Major Occurrences e) Dolomite in Thailand f) Detailed Occurrences o) General Observations Chapter 111 EUROPEAN AND WORLD RESOURCES AND 36 UTILI SAT I ON OF DOLOMITE a) World Production of Dolomite 0) Do Io n ite in Europe c) Users of Refractory Do Ionite d) Price Structure Chapter IV PRODERTIES OF THAILAND AND OTHER 57 DOLOMITES Raw a) Chemical Analysis M aterials h) Mi erosecele Analysis c) Mi nera Irei cal Tests d) Physical Properties Fi rod a) Low Tonine rature Proner- tios b) Hi oh Temnoratura Changes Chapter V POTENTIAL USES OF DOLOMITE 79 Sea a) Tho Process Water .V World Production Magnesi a c) P lant Requirements ôef r ac­ a) Main Groups te ry b) World Production Grado Do I orni to c) Plant Ranui rsments d) Pnnortlos of Dolomite Refractories U v) (Conti nued) paee №. Chanter VI FEASIBILITY OF DOLCHE 93 UTILISATION IN THAILAND a) Raw M aterial Reserves b) Industrial Uses c) Steel preduction d) Cement Industry and Viability of Refractory Production g ) Vi ahi IIty of Sea Water Magnesia Producti-n f) Looisties of Potential Processing Plants Chstto r VI I CONCLUSIONS AMD RECOMP^fNDATIONS P 7 APPENDIX Re I at ino to additional orant I CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The name dolomite Is oi ven to minerals which are solid solu­ tions of the carbonates of calcium and meqnosium and to rock for­ mations which are e s s e n tia lly comoosed of these m inerals. An alternative лапе used to describe many formations Is maonesian I î mestone. Dolomites are formed in marine environments by o recîoftatlon and sedimentation in a similar fashion to iinmstones. Although they are not as common In occurrence as calcium carbonate denosf+s, dolomites occur widely in many ^arts of the w^rld, but only re la tiv e ly few are of commercial si on i f icance. The rock forms can vary from s o ft (s im ila r to chalk) to very hard (as Is limestone) and they contain varyino amounts of Imouri- ties which are associated with the sedimentation cycle. The hardest dolomites are of value as aopreoates Kut for other industrial applications only those deo^sits which are low In total silica, alumina and iron oxiHo are acceotable. Dolomi+es are used in many industries such as ao ric u ltu ro , glass-maklnp; industrial fille rs , chemicals etc. but the most imnor- tant s"r, I ?с-ьions его as о basic refractory for the f r^n, steel and cement Î ndustrie ; as. a«, a ■■ i ; . c : ~ : 'ant of marnes i um bv eoxl dg from sea ws-t tb 3 r. - uo;- ,-f «s î o- (os ma ones! a) is its o ! * a refractory vital ta th - s br-l ' v : oln.;i PHb -¡-omerature Induct:- ias. Wf+Vvit asi c n f ract^oT'-s -;-ho modem stool industry could not exist, bancs do | о mi to has an îar-'rtant rale in industrial society and pood 03,-,;'cifs ~.f ¡+ are in considerable demand. Tbs science and technolopy of basic refra c to rie s are comnlex and, even if rood quality raw materials are available, to convert them Into 2 a suitable fora for industrial use requires a detailed knowledge of their properties and expert manufacturing techniques, for these reasons, basic refractories of all types, although widely used, are manufactured only in a few centres and there is considerable international trade in these commodities. Many countries have indigenous iron, steel and other industries requiring high temperatures but import virtually all their basic refractories. THAILAND INDUSTRY The iron and steel industries have been developing rapidly in Thai’and during the past ten years. The steel industry is by fa r the major user of basic refracto ries and the present consumption fo r con­ struction and repair of the furnaces is estimated at more than 15,000 tons annually valued at more than 150 m illio n bahts (£3.5 x 10^). Other industries requiring basic refractories in their operation incluoe cement, ceramics and glass. With further expansion of iron and steel to meet the annual consumption growth rate o f about 14 percent, increa­ singly large supplies of basic refractories w ill undoubtedly be required. At present only alum ino-silicate refractories are manufactured locally and ail basic refractories are imported. Magnesite is generally preferred because of its high refractoriness and availability even though i t has re la tiv e ly low thermal shock ch a ra cte ristics. For many applications other basic refractories such as chrome-magnesite and dolomite can be used. A lim ited quantity o f these are imported but so far none have been manufactured within Thailand from indigenous raw m aterials. DOLOMITE IN THAILAND Although the geological survey of Thailand is far from complete, it has been known for some time that there were dolomitic occurrences 3 sore of which were of high q u a lity .