LIMESTONE, CLAY RESERVES AND THEIR UTILIZATION IN THE FIELD OF CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

Limestones and clays are non-metallic minerals, are classified in the sub-group of the non-renewable natural resources and are of significant importance particularly in the field of construction. As far as constructors are concerned limestone rocks and clays continue to be categorized as the main materials, which are at a large scale used in low and high construction. These construction materials are primarily used in wall molding, filling, production of various fractions for the preparation of concrete, production of various types of facades, adhesives, production of bricks, blocks, tiles and other products. The underlying purpose of thispaper is to carry out a subtle analysis of the reserves, utilization and some of the main features of limestone and clay in the Republic of Kosovo. Limestones and clays are industrial minerals (nonmetallic minerals) which bear peculiar characteristics such as; textural, structural, physico-mechanical, geological etc. The territory of Kosovo is relatively rich in limestone and clay reserves. Estimated geological reserves in 1978 were 128 million (“M”-million [m3 ] limestone and 15 “M” [ton] clays, while in 2014 were 361 (“M”) [m3 ] limestone and 27 “M” [ton] clays. According to the physico-mechanical properties limestone belongs to the type of moderately hard and very hard rocks. They have specific average weights of 2.71 [g/cm3 ], compressive strength of a watersaturated shaft ranging from 107.3 to 152 MPa, CaO, MgO and SiO2 contents of 54.06%, 0.97% and 1.28%. The mineral limestone contituent is mainly made of calcite which varies from 86.04 % to 97.6 %.

Keywords

• kosovo
• rocks
• limestone
• clay
• construction
• construction permission