Characterization and Possible Industrial Applications of Tripoli Outcrops at Al-Karak Province.

Tripoli layers outcropping at the old village of Aynun, 10 km south of Al-Karak city is embedded within Wadi Um Ghudran Formation of lower Cretaceous age. The area has the richest deposits in Al-Karak province and is minable because of the uninhibited possible mining sites and low overburden thickness. Tripoli layers varied in thickness from 3-12m.It is composed mainly of high SiO2 (up to 93 wt%). Quartz is the essential component. The physical properties of tripoli (bulk density, specific gravity, water adsorption and size distribution) are suitable for its use as a filler and filter. The whiteness (82%) makes tripoli suitable for us in manufacturing external paint. The effect of partial replacement of the components of ordinary Portland cement by tripoli on the compressive strength, setting time, soundness and normal consistency has decreased the compressive strength. Replacement of cement by tripoli in mass ratios of 10%, 20%, and 30% has decreased the 28-days compressive strength of mortar cubes by 6.2%, 14.7%, and 32.1% respectively. The volume of mix water required to produce a paste of normal consistency has increased with increasing the ratio of tripoli in the paste. The increasing ratio of tripoli in the paste did not affect the setting time nor the soundness of the paste.