INVESTIGATION OF LOCAL AND FOREIGN RAW MATERIALS USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF REFRACTORY CONCRETE CASTABLES

Abstract

Refractory concrete castables are specialized materials designed for high-temperature environments, such as furnaces in metallurgy, chemical processing, and ceramics industries. Their primary components—binders, aggregates, and additives—determine thermal stability, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity. This study examines the chemical compositions, properties, and applications of local (Uzbekistan and regional) and foreign raw materials, drawing on X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses via NEX CG spectrometry, GOST standards, and scholarly articles. The objective is to compare local resources (e.g., Angren kaolin, calcined alumina waste, and quartz sand from Jeroj deposit) with foreign analogs (e.g., CA50 Kerui Cement) to reduce import dependency in refractory concrete production. Utilizing industrial wastes enhances sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Key findings indicate that local blends achieve 80–90% efficacy comparable to imports, with potential energy savings of 5–10% in firing processes. Recommendations include hybrid formulations per GOST 20910-2019 for optimized castables.