| dc.description.abstract | The applications of various clayey minerals are related to their structural, physical and chemical
characteristics. The physical and chemical properties of the clayey minerals dictate their utilization in
the process industries and beneficiation required before usage. The study aimed at establishing the
potentiality of clayey minerals from the study area, and the possibility of exploring and exploiting them
in order to spur industrial development and promote economic self reliance of Kenya as a nation. The
plasticity, particle size, surface area, chemical and mineralogy composition, morphological, thermal
analysis and other physical properties were studied using various techniques. The clay samples
composed of albite (5-16.7%), kaolinite (11.4-36.2%), microcline (15.2-35.3%), quartz (24.3-68.1%),
hornblende (7.6% in samples from Ngamwa only), and other mineral impurities in small amounts.
Ngamwa clayey materials consist of high impurities of chemical oxides such as TiO2, MnO, MgO and
Fe2O3. Generally, quartz and iron were the major impurities present in the samples from the concerned
sites. The findings shows that clayey minerals from the study area can be exploited for commercial
production of ceramic products after beneficiation using low cost and environmental friendly
techniques in order to reduce the levels of iron, quartz, and other impurities to acceptable levels. | en_US |
