The objective of the project was to develop a procedure for the construction of building blocks with silica sand residues, from an aluminum smelting process of an automotive spinning company. The blocks obtained were evaluated in accordance with NMX-C-404-1997-ONNCCE standards for the design and formulations of the block, and NMX-C-036-ONNCCE for tests and compression calculations. Initially these arenas are used for the elaboration of the molds of the mechanical parts that are manufactured in the company, however, once the utility of these arenas for molding is fulfilled, they are sent to final disposal sites. For the elaboration of the blocks, the physical characteristics and chemical properties of the silica sand were initially determined (grain size, pH, structure, grain shape, humidity, specific gravity, bulk and bulk density). The mold was then designed and two formulations based on the residues of silica sand, cement, water and lime were tested. The product quality assessment included tests for drying, moisture absorption, design resistance to compression. Finally, the manufacturing costs were compared with the costs of existing commercial blocks in the market.
The Aluminum Smelting Process and Innovative Alternative Technologies