Chemical study of the raw material in Gandghar range, District Haripur, NWFP, for Portland cement manufacturing

Limestone is a valuable raw material, which is widely used in the chemical, metallurgical and construction industries throughout the world. With huge deposits of limestone in Pakistan, it is immensely used as the major raw material in the cement manufacturing. The extensive deposits of limestone are exposed in the Gandghar, Cherat and Khyber ranges around the Peshawar basin. The area of study was a part of the Gandghar range in District Haripur in Hazara where various types of raw materials (i.e., limestone, phyllite and clay) used in the cement manufacturing are present. This raw material was analyzed for the major element oxides and its chemistry was evaluated in regard to the manufacturing of portland cement during this study. It was found that the raw mixture in the proportion of 80% of Shekhai limestone, 2% of Utch Khattak limestone, 3% of greenish-grey limestone, 12% of clay and 3% of laterite resulted in the final product of clinker having 22.57% SiO2, 4.84% Al2O3, 4% Fe2O3 and 67.09% CaO. This clinker has the appropriate composition for the manufacturing of portland cement. It is, therefore, recommended that a feasibility study should be conducted for establishing portland cement manufacturing plant in the area for the best use of the studied raw material of the Gandghar range.