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Clay Minerals; June 2008; v. 43; no. 2; p. 317-337; DOI: 10.1180/claymin.2008.043.2.11
© 2008 Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland
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Research Paper

Physicochemical properties of talc ore from Pout-Kelle and Memel deposits (central Cameroon)

C. NKOUMBOU1,2,*, F. VILLIERAS2, O. BARRES2, I. BIHANNIC2, M. PELLETIER2, A. RAZAFITIANAMAHARAVO2, V. METANG1, C. YONTA NGOUNE1, D. NJOPWOUO3 and J. YVON2

1 Equipe de Géologie Economique et Environnementale, Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Yaoundé I, B.P. 812 Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2 Laboratoire Environnement et Minéralurgie, Nancy-Université, CNRS, B.P. 40, F-54501 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France, and 3 Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux, Département de Chimie Inorganique, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Yaoundé I, B.P. 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon

* E-mail: charles.nkoumbou{at}ensg.inpl-nancy.fr or nkoumbouc{at}yahoo.fr

(Received 13 August 2007; revised 26 January 2008)

Physicochemical properties of representative samples from talc deposits discovered at Pout-Kelle and Memel in Cameroon have been investigated using a variety of techniques. The data allow the study of the mineral crystal-chemistry, chemical and modal compositions, grain size distribution, textures and surface heterogeneity, and morphometric characteristics. As a result, we found that talc (platy or round, Fe-rich) prevails (65–90%) over Cr-chlorite (7–26%), halloysite, chromite, rutile, brucite and magnesite. Chemically, talc ores are made up of SiO2, MgO, Fe2O3 and minor Al2O3. Mode values range from 50 to 55 µm at Memel and from 30 to 90 µm at Pout-Kelle. Specific surface areas measured by BET and t-plot methods range from 1.3 to 2.5 m2/g. The large values of morphometric characteristics are indicative of high crystallinity and platiness. Potential uses of these talc ores in the rubber, plastics and paper industries require beneficiation processes. Interestingly, the Memel deposit and most zones of the Pout-Kelle deposit are free of needle-shaped crystals, an advantage for environmental safety.

KEYWORDS: talc ore, physicochemical properties, industrial uses, Pout-Kelle, Memel, Cameroon






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