HÎRTOPANU and UDUBAŞA reported early 2014 that in the southeastern part of Romania, near Galaţi, there is the largest slag waste dump in the country as a result of the metalurgicsl plant (now ArcelorMittal Galați) activity during the last decades. In order to asses the eventually re-use of the waste dump material, a detailed mineralogical study was carried out.
Some 100 slag samples have been investigated and revealed a quite uniform composition. Their mineralgy is quite complex, from the point of view of mineral classes and comprises native elements, oxides, sulfides, phosphates and silicates. The main component is melilite, twinned and zoned, having with fine inclusions of native iron and oldhamite. Fayalite is rather frequent and zoned. Wüstite inclusions occur within the anorthite glass. Skeletal grains of merwinite have been observed, as well as perowskite associated with melilite. Hercynite and whitlockite occur as accessory components.
The authors concluded that in spite of common appearance (black to greyish colors) the microscopic analysis of GS revealed its diverse mineral composition. The determined minerals belong to 5 mineralogical classes: native elements, oxides, sulphides, silicates and phosphates. Most minerals are very rare, occurring in meteorites or on Mars and the Moon (troilite, oldhamite, native Fe). The most dominant mineral phases are those occuring at high temperature, resembling either the sideronitic textures or rapid quenching of high temperature assemblage (skeletal crystals, stellate crystals, e.g. oldhamite in melilite) etc.
The mineralogy of GS could be more various and a complex study is in progress. Such a study is necessary to assess the potential for the re-use of GS as construction material. The GS could also be a source of some rare elements.
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