Study the Capability of Zeolitic Tuffs of the Tarum Area as Natural Pozzolanic Materials for Industrial Cement Prodution

The main purpose of this study is to investigate experimentally the quality of Pozzolanic prospects hosted in the Eocene pyroclatic succession of the Tarum magmatic range in the Zanjan province، northwest Iran. These prospects were discovered regionally in our previous work using Mineral Potential Mapping، MPM، as an integrated exploration method، consisting of the remote sensing analysis، geologic data، field observation and GIS modeling. During our previous study، some rock samples were collected for the detailed laboratory examinations. Regarding our plan، the samples have been analyzed using Petrography، XRD، XRF، physical tests and pozzolanic activity respectively. The careful petrography studies indicated five possible samples as suitable and promising targets. Further، the results of the physical tests suggest an appropriate conformity between the samples and international standards for evaluating the pozzolanic samples. Though، the samples could not meet the required standards for the pozzolanic activation test. Our further examination indicated that the combination of tuffs of the area from which the samples have been taken were generally andesitic. However، this study characterized that despite existence of some glass phase and also zeolite indications، the discovered pozzolanic prospects may not be suitable for industrial consume to produce the pozzolanic cement