NON-METALLIC MINERALS OF AZERBAIJAN AND THEIR USE PERSPECTIVES

Afandiyeva Z.J.

Azerbaijan State Oil Academy

Abstract

The state and prospects of nonmetallic minerals development (rock salt and saline salt, zeolites, sulphur, barite, dolomite, Iceland spar, piezoquartz) deposits having an industrial value have been considered. Use of raw mineral resources will provide all round development of mining economy.

Keywords: minerals, deposits, development, sulfur, rock salt, sulphur, barite, dolomite, Iceland spar, piezoquarts

The Republic of Azerbaijan has significant nonmetallic minerals reserves; pyrites, rock salt-salt, zeolites, sulfur, barite, dolomite, Iceland spar, piezoelectric quartz and others. Development systems in mining and mineral extraction technology have not been subjected any changes for a long time and only work on their improvement has been started recently. There is a high loss of minerals and non complex use of non-conforming products and production waste. [1].

Rock salt deposits. The Republic of Azerbaijan has huge reserves of rock salt. The largest rock salt deposits are Negramsky, Duzdagsky, Sustinsky, Pusyansky and Nakhchivansky. Essentially forming a large saliferous pool (300x20 km) and representing a powerful source of the chemical industry. The biggest is Negramsky field, probable reserves are estimated 1.5 billion tones. The content of sodium chloride is from 83÷96%, salt of these fields completely corresponds to the condition of confidante salt. According to the content of pure magnesium salt corresponds to classes "Extra" and "higher". Salt of Negramsky deposit is of great practical interest for the chemical industry, not only for the production of soda ash, edible salt production of superior quality and chemically pure salt for the needs of Sumgait chemical plant.

Approved reserves of these fields, taking into account all losses in production, will provide needs in the salts of various sectors of the economy not only of our Republic, but also other states. Geological structure of the area allows to prove that only a small portion of larger deposits with big potential reserves have been developed and prospective reserves are estimated at 8 ÷10 times more than the explored. [2].

From year to year increasing, salt consumption in connection with to population growth and the development of many industries of the republic, for which salt is a primary or secondary raw materials determines the critical importance of expanding the scale of radical improvement and improvement of technology development salt deposits of the Republic, the organization of production of salt for chemical and food industry.

The salt field. Self-sedimented salt deposits are on the Apsheron Peninsula, Masazyr, Boyuk Shor, Byulbyula and where salt mining was conducted on salt lakes by home-made way in 1813. Sodium chloride plays the predominant role in the salt complex composition. According to the degree of mineralization they relate to mineral self-sedimented salt lake of chloride-sodium composition. Heavy metals salt and petroleum products don’t exist in them. From an environmental point of view Masazyr fields preserved better than others. It is unique pond -clinic to receive salt and mud baths and etc. Practically it is pure salt of high quality, so-called iodized salt, as the water in the lake is characterized by large of iodine content

Natural mineral salts play an important role in the national economy. Along with nutritional purposes (about 60 - 65% of world production), salt is widely used in various fields of the industry. The salt is processed to the soda, chlorine is obtained from it and it is used in aniline and paint industry, in the plastics manufacture, in wood chemistry, nitric, textile, pharmaceutical, steel and leather industry, in refrigeration and soap production, etc.

Zeolite field. Azerbaijan zeolite deposits are presented in the Small Caucasus - Tovuz (Aydagsky) and Kazakh region (Kaymahliny, Kamarly and Oksyuzly) and the Great Caucasus. Crude zeolites in Azerbaijan as a raw material, presenting industrial interest, began to be studied about a quarter of a century ago, when their large deposits were discovered. The largest is Aydagsky deposit; commercial reserves are 30 million tons. Aydagsky zeolites have high sorption properties. Opportunity of purposeful change of their properties is very important after treatment with acid, alkali and salt solutions. For example, a simple acid treatment improves the quality of the sorption of natural zeolites, bringing them closer to more expensive. Fine sorption properties and high content of natural zeolites clinoptilolite of Aydagsky field makes the raw material very valuable.

Due to its unique ion exchange and absorption properties, they are widely used as a catalyst for the dehydration and gas purification, extraction of valuable impurities, from them separation of gas mixtures in petrochemical synthesis, rubber industry, for natural and waste waters. With the help of zealots the metals can be extracted from the ground and mine waters. The ability of zealots to sorption of gases is used to create a high vacuum. Zealots are of great importance for agriculture.

Dolomite field. In Azerbaijan, the dolomites exist in Nakhchivan (Negramsky, Boyakatinsky) in Gobustan (Kalendartepinsky), on the Apsheron Peninsula (Kechigainsky) and Kusary area (Tagirdzhalsky). [3].They are characterized by high quality and large reserves. The largest is Negramsky field; recoverable reserves are 140 million tons. Physical and mechanical properties of Negramsky dolomite prove can be used as a cladding material, as well as a high-road and gravel construction. Dolomites can be used as coarse aggregate in concrete brand "M-300". Studies have shown that dolomites are useful as I Class refractory.

For their chemical composition dolomites are suitable for the production of soda ash and metallurgical magnesia oxide and can be used as a glazing material. As well suitability of dolomites for Nakhchivan and Sumgait factories producing dark green bottles for bottling mineral water with Fe₂O₃ content up to 7% has been established. Dolomites are used in various fields of national economy. Primarily in the production of refractory in the steel industry, for various kinds of industrial, housing and road construction and less in the chemical, metal treatment fields of the other industries, and agriculture.

Sulfur deposit. Sulfur deposits exist in Gey Gel area (Chyragderinsky and Toganlinsky). Chyragderinsky field is characterized by the extensive development of massive iron pyrite ores with high sulfur content. Relatively its virgin fields are rarely. The main mass of the sulfur is related to the composition of the various minerals that can be broken to sulfuric acid and sulfur compounds. As generally present in volcanic gases and some mineral water sources. The main source of sulfur is sulfur feedstock saline pyrite. When developing iron pyrite and polymetallic copper saline- fields, after removing Cu, Zn and Pb, in concentrates there is about 90-95% pyrite (pyrite) that can be used to produce industrial sulfur. Field development must be carried out by an underground method without disturbing the ecology of the environment.

Yellow color, in weathering becomes gray or brown to black. Dash light yellow, fracture saline, very fragile, it is formed as a product of volcanic sulfur fumes, and occurs in biogenic-sedimentary deposits.

It is used for the preparation of sulfuric acid in the rubber industry and for pest control in agriculture. Annual world consumption of sulfur is millions tons.

Barite deposits. Barite field is located in Shamkir region (Chovdar, Chaykendsky and Azadsky) and Goranboy region (Bashkyshlagsky and Tonashinsky). Barite mining in Azerbaijan began in 1934, in Chovdar vein deposits, stopped in 1955. [4].A large deposit is Bashkyshlagsky, its stocks are 316.8 tons.

In individual fields of the leading minerals barite and baritopolymetallic veins distinguish. Baritopolymetallic cores have local distribution and sulfide minerals are predominant in their composition and have industrial mineralization.

Barite is the main mineral in the fields. Barite is closely associated with quartz, and supplemented with fluorite, and sulfides. Quartz is a fairly widespread. Calcite with barite and quartz is the main mineral in the composition of barite ore.

Clear, colorless or almost colorless crystals relate to optical barite. Color variations of barite are white yellow, brown and red, they generally contain impure- ties of hydroxyls of iron, sulfides, and organic substance. The blue color is usually associated with barite radiation exposure. The main consumer of barite is oil and gas industry. Over 80% of the world's mined barite are used in the oil industry, where it is received as a weighting agent muds and used in the drilling fluids, as a filler for paper, rubber, ceramics, paints, cement industry for the manufacture of explosives, metallurgy and etc. Of particular interest are containing cements are of particular-interest and have many valuable qualities, enhanced with corrosion resistance. Technological parameters of pilot production of barite content have been developed on Karadag Portland cement plants.

Iceland spar mine. Deposits of Iceland spar, genetically linked to the main effusive rocks, are mostly located in Khojavend (Tsakursky and Archinpraksky) among basalt mandelshteins. Enclosing rocks of 1 group Iceland spar are Santonian volcanology breed. Identity of elements - impurities in Iceland spar with elements- impurities enclosing basalt menedelshtein confirm their autometamorphic origin. Transparent colorless or colored calcite crystals suitable for use in the optical industry are called Iceland spar. Iceland spar is highly transparent to visible and ultraviolet light, high optical homogeneity and large birefringence.

All extracted mining crystals, which are presented by oriented plates and spines rhomboidal debris containing optically suitable material concern the natural crystalline raw of Iceland spar. The high transparency of the crystals and a very high refraction determine the use of Iceland spar in the optical industry. Iceland spar is used for receiving and analyzing polarized light, in the instruments of continuous and discrete light shielding for the narrow-band interference-polarized light filters and other purposes.

Piezoquarts deposits. Big crystalline deposits exit on the southern slope of the Great Caucasus in Azerbaijan. (Karabchaysky, Katehsky, Komsomolsk and Havanchaysky). Komsomolsk field of piezoquartz located on the upper part of Karachay river has been studied more thoroughly. In deposits all crystals and quartz druze are transparent or translucent, but they have small stocks dimensions. Prognosis reserves of Komsomolsk field are 1.5 million tons Chemically pure quartz, characterized by complete absence of alkali, containing at least 99.8% of silica and minor contaminants is ideally piezoelectric quartz raw material.

On the territory of Azerbaijan, within the Great and Small Caucasus, quartz veins of "alpine" type. Optical and radio industry use both crystalline and transparent and translucent vein quartz, are of great interest, the raw material for melting of high quality glass, as well as for obtaining of artificial crystalline quartz-piezoelectric quartz. Quartz for melting of optical glass is a relatively a new type of raw material, widely used in the industry. Valuable qualities of quartz are as a raw material for melting, low coefficient of linear expansion, relatively high thermal and chemical stability, the ability to pass the ultraviolet rays and the presence of the dielectric properties. Due to its piezoelectric properties, quartz is used in electronics.

The richest natural source of raw materials in the Republic, under favorable technical and economic indicators of development, will provide all round development of the mining sectors of the economy and significantly improve the state's economy.

References

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