Utilization of granite waste as alternative abrasive material in marble grinding processes

Wastes formed during the production and processing of marble and granite cause problems for the leading countries in natural stone production because they result in environmental pollution, negative conditions for health and cause economic losses. Decreasing the formation of waste materials and studies on their reusability are important to provide environmental and economic benefits. The main purpose of this study is to determine the reusability of the waste material formed during granite production as conventional artificial abrasive in the marble abrasion process. Accordingly, three different marble samples commercially available in different areas of Turkey were studied. Böhme abrasion test was carried out with Al2O3 and granite waste, which are used as common abrasives in marble abrasion operations. The waste of granite was classified in three different grain sizes after processing it with solid-cutting, crushing-grinding and screening operations and then used in Böhme abrasion test run. The performance of abrasion process was evaluated as the decrease in the surface roughness of marble samples and the increase in the surface gloss. As a result of tests, the performance of granite wastes and Al2O3 abrasives were compared. Test results showed that granite wastes caused a relative decrease in marble surface roughness and an increase in gloss especially in high CaCO3 and low MgCO3 containing soft rocks such as travertine.