Shiranish formation in Garota (Shaqlawa, north Iraq)‎ as raw material for Portland cement manufacturing

Abstract EN

Limestone, the main raw material for cement production, is readily available in the Kurdistan Region.

This study tries to evaluate the usage of the limestone from the Shiranish Formation for Portland cement production.

Samples of limestone of this formation in Garota Village, Shaqlawa area are selected and analyzed for the major elemental oxides and the data are evaluated and compared with the available standard chemical analysis of raw limestones for Portland cement.

In the sampled locality, the Shiranish Formation has a thickness and geomorphologic conditions that can easily be excavated and transferred to the site of cement production.

The obtained data shows that only one sample among the selected samples is suitable for Portland cement production, but with minor addition of gypsum to enhance the SO3 content, while the other samples are slightly below the lower limit of the usual range of Portland cement manufacture due to high content of silica