INVESTIGATION OF SECONDARY GYPSUM DEPOSITS SUITABLE FOR CEMENT INDUSTRY IN AL-RHEMIA AREA AL-NAJAF GOVERNORATE

Abstract

This work was carried out in southwest of the Najaf sea, which is located about 60 Km southwest of the Al-Najaf city. The target of this study is to find out the suitability of the gypsum rocks in the investigated area for cement industry, and to estimate the reserve. The field work including excavated 69 pits, 40 pits excavated by shovel covers 3.33km2 with net excavation is not regular distance for location1 and 19 pits excavated by labors, covers 19 hills for pit to each hill, the program of excavated pits was carried out depended on secondary gypsum showings. One hundred fourteen rock samples were subjected to chemical analysis, and the results were as follows (as percentages) secondary gypsum bed: Location 1

I.R% CaO% SO3% W.O.C% 4.72 32.0 36.37 16.10 Location 2 I.R% CaO% SO3% W.O.C% 10.36 30.79 31.95 13.99

Four sample were collected for bulk density test (Kg/cm3) and the average is 1.37 kg/ cm3 The industrial bed within the investigated belongs to Quaternary deposits and the average thickness is 0.7 m for both locations, and it hardness medium tough to friable and located at below of overburden is 0.02 m consist of soil and sand dunes.

The total reserve for both locations is 33295 ton from secondary gypsum deposits is suitable for cement industry, 31946 ton for location 1 and 1349 for location 2.