Study of mixtures composed of scheelite residues and soils intended for paving

Abstract

The growth in the amount of waste from the industry and the urban environments has motivated the realization of research aimed at its use in infrastructure works. In the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte the scheelite mineral is exploited, which is a source for obtaining the rare chemical element Tungsten, which has important industrial applications. Its beneficiation process causes a high generation of waste and environmental damage resulting from the formation of waste piles. Thus, within this context, the present work presents an analysis of the use of scheelite mining waste associated with three types of soils from deposits in three regions of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Based on data from particle size analysis of these materials, mixtures with increments of 20%, 40% and 60% of scheelite waste, by mass, associated with the three soils, were analyzed. The results showed that the mixture with the best granulometric composition for pavement base layers is composed of the coarsest soil among the soils evaluated with 20% waste, according to international standards of AASHTO and ASTM, and according to the national DNIT standard.

Keywords:
Mixtures; Granulometric stabilization; Paving; Soils; Scheelite