Gregerová
M., Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, Faculty of Science,
Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic, e-mail: mirka@sci.muni.cz
Technolithology
is scientific discipline covering transitional region between geological
(natural) and technical sciences. It deals with study of inorganic materials
corresponding to definition of rocks, i.e. which are aggregations of mineral
grains and/or solid, naturally, artificially and/or by combination of both processes originated matters, made up of
crystals, glass, metamorphic organic substance or combination of these
components. Resulting materials are called technolithes. This term
substitutes the names “technical rocks, technical matters, artificial stones”,
etc. We can study technolithes in the protolithic stage (fresh, not
metamorphic) or in the stage of changes or environmental degradations.
Processes analogical to magmatic crystallisation take place during clinker
firing. Hydrolytic processes are present in concrete production and after long
time exposition the environmental degradation follows.
Analogy of
selected technolithes with petrographical groups of rocks is shown in Tab.1.
Tab. 1 Affinity of petrographical groups of rocks
and selected technolithes
|
Petrographical
types of rocks |
Technolith |
|
Magmatic
rocks |
Slags,
clinker of |
|
Pneumatolytic
rocks |
Neogenic
minerals in glasses, bricks, special glazes and mineral originating in
metallurgical processes (secondary products) |
|
Specific magmatic struktures |
Glasses,
spherolithes, flow structures in partially recrystalized glasses, zoned dinas |
|
Inclusions |
Inclusions
in steel and other metals, inclusions in glass |
|
Sedimentary
rocks |
Different
types of concrete, calcium-silicate products, metallurgical sands, fly ashes,
gypsum originated in technological processes, gypsum mortars and plasters,
artificial rocks and minerals, anhtropogenous minerals |
|
Metamorphic
rocks |
Dinas,
fireclay, clinker, porcelain, special ceramic matters |
|
Contact
metamorphic rocks |
Heatproof
materials used in metallurgical and glass furnaces and brickkilns |
Methods of study
of technolithes are the same as the methods of study of natural rocks. However,
the results of study are exploited by the technologists on one hand and by
possible users on the other hand. It is evident that the interconnection
between industrial technologies and petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry is
mutually beneficial.
Geological
disciplines are involved mainly in solutions of problems of:
-
mineral
and micro-structural changes,
-
defects
originating due to undesirable admixtures
-
changes
in chemical composition of raw materials and their influence on the
characteristics of technolithes
-
minerals-catalysts
-
degradation
and corrosion of technolithes
-
reconstruction
procedures
-
recycling
of technolithes
Results of
those studies contribute to cognition of regularities of matter metamorphism
and enable to streamline technological processes. Simultaneously they indicate
the directions of searching for suitable or substitutive raw materials.
Informations from technical sphere of applied petrology led to drawing up the
model schemas of origin of different mineral assemblages. Examples we can find
in technology of silicate minerals where processes of crystallisation and
reactions in solid and semisolid phases can be studied. Fireclays in glass
furnaces enabled to survey continuous contamination, assimilation and
origination of eutectics (Zdražil 1970). Problems of concretionary processes,
origination of streaks and other inhomogeneities can be solved by means of
study of inclusions. We can give lot of examples of technolithes, petrological
study of which influenced opinions of genesis and methodology of study of
natural rocks. Study of historical technolithes (pottery, building ceramics,
plasters, mortars, slags) enables to broaden our knowledge of different ways of
material processing which is of benefit mainly to archaeologists. The results
come in useful also in the sphere of reconstruction and renewing of historical
buildings and preservation of inorganic materials.
The target of
that contribution should not be to give the summary of all aspects of
application possibilities, regardless that the author is highly experienced in
that region, but to show, on selected examples, that the technolithology is the
new interdisciplinary direction in geological sciences, although it has
long-lasting roots in applied petrology and mineralogy.
Practical outputs of study of mortars and plasters, which were obtained
within the grant projects of GACR (No.103/99/0941, 103/00/0607) and Ministry of
Culture of