Steelmaking integrated plants are worldwide rated among the most polluting industries. Several types of their wastes such as the sludge from steel refining and rolling operation are recycled in the own plant. Other wastes, like the fine particles generated in the sintering stage are, however, usually disposed in open air piles and represent a burden to the environment. In the present work, the recycling of sintering particulate residues as addition into conventional clay ceramic was evaluated. Both technical and economical assessments are reported. The incorporation of this residue in amounts up to 20 wt% contributed to the workability of the precursor clay body by adjusting its excess of plasticity. The water absorption of the final residue added ceramic fired from 650 to 1050°C was enhanced owing to a decrease in porosity. In the case of Brazil, where most of the steelmaking plants as well as ceramic industries are located in the country’s southeast region, the residue incorporation is economically feasible. The cost of residue transportation and saving in clay, a non-renewable natural resource, has an advantageous margin over the cost of residue management, storage and landfill inside the plant.
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