A Brazilian ceramic industry occupies a prominent position on the international scene, placing Brazil among the world’s main producers of traditional ceramics (blocks, tiles, coverings, sanitaryware, electrical insulators, tableware, refractories, etc.). As a result of the significant production volume, the ceramic sector stands out as a prominent consumer of industrial minerals, chemical products and energy resources.
Among the minerals consumed in greatest volume by the ceramic industry are red and white fired clays, claystones, kaolins, feldspars, granites and quartzes, phyllites, carbonates and talcs. In a smaller volume, bentonites, pyrophyllites, nephelines, zirconites, borates and other products are also used, such as zinc oxide, barium carbonate, calcined alumina, pigments, dispersants and binders of different natures. From an energy point of view, the ceramic sector is characterized by the high use of thermal energy, with emphasis on the use of natural gas as fuel, given that practically all ceramic materials manufacturing processes involve heat treatments at high temperatures.
A assessment of the potential for minerals for the ceramic industry It is an activity that must be carried out with caution, as each segment of the ceramic sector has a set of analyses with specific criteria that allows the feasibility of applying minerals and other inputs to be assessed. In this context, the characteristics of clays of greatest interest for application in masses for ceramic tiles (and the tests necessary to attest to their potential) are not the same as the clays most valued for application in bathroom materials or for use in engobes, por exemplo.
The analyses carried out must explore the potential of the raw materials, considering that minerals with great potential are often discarded because the tests carried out are not well planned or executed. Experience proves that the precise assessment of the potential of a raw material for the ceramic sector must be studied on a case-by-case basis. For certain applications, physicochemical characterization (chemical analysis, mineralogical, de sizes de particles, de specific surface area, etc.) is essential. In other cases, the characterization of specimens conformed to the sample is more important. And these two strategies often need to be combined with application tests on ceramic compositions, even involving reformulations of the compositions to better explore the potential of the tested raw material. The use of the most appropriate methodology, in well-equipped laboratories and with trained personnel, is essential so that mineral resources are valued and can offer benefits to the ceramic industry.