Recycling marble working wastes in manufacturing ceramic products. Part I: Waste characterization

In this study, marble working wastes have been characterised and shown to mainly (99 %) consist of carbonate particles (calcite and dolomite), together with minor amounts of other minerals present in the processed rocks, and small quantities of products stemming from the marble working process (resins, grinding tools, etc.). In view of the waste composition, these wastes were considered to be potentially valorisable by recycling them in the manufacture of certain ceramic products, in which calcite and dolomite are used as raw materials.The study shows that in wall tile manufacture it is possible to use waste from calcitic rock processing operations, in which small quantities of resin are used. In frit manufacture, the MgO content of the waste constrains waste use, so that only calcitic rock processing waste could be recycled in frit production. The three wastes characterised exhibit appropriate characteristics for recycling in fired clay products.