Effect of Calcination on Oxides Composition of Dutsin Dushowa Volcanic Ash of Jos Plateau

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of calcination on oxide composition of Volcanic Ash (VA) sample obtained from Dutsin Dushowa, Kerang in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. VA sample was collected as a lump, pounded, grounded, sieved with a 75 μm sieve and calcinated in a furnace at five temperatures levels (i.e. 500, 600, 700, 800 and 1000 o C) before packaging for Chemical Analysis in Sagamu works Department of West African Portland Cement Company (WAPCO) via an X-ray fluorescent Analysis using a Total Cement Analyser model ARL 9900 XP with control being Pulverized VA sample in the natural state. The result reflects that Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) content and total Silicon Dioxide, Iron Oxide, and Aluminium Oxide (SiO2+Fe2O3+Al2O3) content improved at a decreasing rate as the temperature of calcination increases. Values varied from 41.13% (at natural state) through 42.41% (at 500 o C) to 43.36% (at 1000 o C) for SiO2 and from 70.99 % (at natural state) through 73.13% (at 500 o C) to 74.65% (1000 o C) for SiO2+Fe2O3+Al2O3. All the samples were noted to satisfy the requirements of ASTM C618:2008 and are 3812:1981 on basis of oxide composition.