Mineralogy, technological properties, and industrial application of kaolin deposits at Nivasht and Kabudkamar areas, northwest of Saveh, Central Province

Kaolin deposits in the Nivasht and Kabudkamar areas are located in ~25 km northwest of Saveh, Central province. Field observations along with petrographic examinations revealed that genetically these deposits are alteration products of igneous rocks such as andesi-basalt, trachy-andesite, and andesitic tuff of upper Eocene age. In this study, the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of the kaolin deposits in Nivasht and Kabudkamar were investigated on the basis of industrial applications. Based upon mineralogical data, the principal constituent minerals in both deposits are quartz, kaolinite, halloysite, muscovite-illite, Montmorillonite, pyrophyllite, plagioclase, hematite, goethite, anatase, akermanite, alunite and/ or natroalunite, and talc. Further investigations in the studied areas showed that the kaolinitic clays have mostly firing color within the range of milky white to dark gray. Consideration of parameters such as capability of water absorption, resistance in dry state, firing contraction, low thermal efficiency, and the values of major oxides demonstrated that the kaolins at Nivasht and Kabudkamar possess suitable standard conditions for application in ceramic (for floor and wall) industries, however, their application in other industries requires further processing.