Refractory properties of dolomite deposit located at Alagutan (Lat 80 37´ N, Long 40 7´ E) Kwara State, Nigeria has been investigated. The need for this work arises from the dial need to re-examine our foundry industry with a view of sourcing her material needs locally and one of which is refractory lining. Samples of Dolomite were collected from Igbeti and subjected to various laboratory tests to determine the refractory properties of the material and determine its suitability for furnace lining in foundries. This investigation revealed the following results: permeability to air of 86mm/s, thermal shock resistance of 22cycles, refractoriness of 17780C, cold crushing strength of 652KN/cm2, and linear shrinkage of 0.2%, bulk density of 2.76 g /cm3, and apparent porosity of 21.17%. The results obtained compares compare favourably with standard values acceptable for refractory grade dolomite. The chemical composition of the samples was also found to lie within acceptable range for basic refractories. Conclusively, it was revealed that Alagutan dolomite is suitable for lining of furnaces requiring basic environment at less than 17780C operating temperatures.

Full text: IJEIR_1705_Final.pdf