The Mineralogical, and XRD Analyses Characterized Clay and Clay Minerals of Bida

Abstract

The detailed physical, chemical and surface properties of clays mainly depend on their mineralogical compositions. The main objective of this research was to study the mineralogical and chemical composition of clay obtained from a clay deposit in Bida Niger State. The clay sample was collected from a deposit in Minna, Nigeria. It was cleaned, soaked, dried, crushed and sieved then moulded to some definite shapes depending on the type of test carried out on the various clay samples. The qualitative mineralogical phase identification was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) in powder samples using an Analytical Empyrean, diffraction DY674. In determining the chemical constituents of the clay samples in terms of the individual oxides; the analysis of the samples was carried out. The mineralogical composition of clay, 20.854o of intensity 18.7% and 26.634o of intensity 100.0% was observed to be quartz minerals, while the mineralogical composition of clay, 12.318o of intensity 100.0% and 19.801o of intensity 80.0% was observed to be kaolinite minerals. It was observed that the high abundance of quartz minerals in the clay deposits sample shows that the clay has high silica content, and are bound to be strongly acidic as the silica provides several sites for the hydroxyl groups or water molecules to bind. These results reveal that the dominant clay mineral in the clay deposits at Bida is kaolinite. It is not surprising that clays from these areas have been used for pottery, ceramic, bricks and tiles.