USE OF ZINC SMELTER WASTE AS HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

OKLAHOMA HAS LARGE QUANTITIES OF SMELTER WASTE, RESULTING FROM ZINC AND LEAD MINING OPERATIONS, LOCATED PRINCIPALLY IN THE NORTH CENTRAL, NORTHEAST, AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE. IN THEIR CURRENT CONDITION AND LOCATION, THESE WASTE PILES ARE EXTREMELY UNSIGHTLY, AND THEY KILL OR DAMAGE ADJACENT VEGETATION AND CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO BOTH SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER POLLUTION. BEFORE ANY SOLID WASTE MATERIAL MAY BE ACCEPTED FOR USE AS CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATE, IT MUST POSSESS ACCEPTABLE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. THESE PROPERTIES, DETERMINED FROM STANDARD TESTS, INCLUDE MECHANICAL STRENGTH, SURFACE TEXTURE, PARTICLE SHAPE, RESTSTAMCE TO POLISHING OR SKID RESISTANCE, SPECIFIC GRAVITY WATER ABSORPTION, CHEMICAL STABILITY, PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION, RESISTANCE TO ABRASION, AND RESISTANCE TO FROST ACTION. THE MOST ECONOMICAL AGGREGATE IS OFTEN THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH MODERN AERIAL SURVEY TECHNIQUES, NEARBY MATERIALS CANNOT ALWAYS BE LOCATED, THUS EXPENSES INCURRED BY AGGREGATE TRANSPORTATION INCREASE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS. AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED METHOD OF LOWERING AGGREGATE MATERIAL COST IS THE USE OF SYNTHETIC OR ARTIFICIAL AGGREGATES, WHICH ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE AGGREGATES PRODUCED BY SOME CHEMICAL AND/OR PHYSICAL PROCESS. HIGHWAY ENGINEERS ARE ALWAYS HESITANT TO USE ARTIFICIAL AGGREGATES UNLESS THEY ARE OF PROVEN FIELD QUALITY. HOWEVER, SEVERAL TYPES OF ARTIFICIAL AGGREGATES HAVE BEEN UTILIZED WITH REASONABLE SUCCESS UNDER LIMITING CONDITIONS.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1973/430/430-003.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309021596
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Commitee on Mineral Aggregates. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Hughes, Michael L
  • Haliburton, T Allan
• Conference:
  • 52nd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1973-1-22 to 1973-1-26
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 16-25
• Monograph Title: Utilization of waste materials and upgrading of low-quality aggregates
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 430
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Artificial aggregates; Physical properties; Smelting; Wastes; Water pollution
• Old TRIS Terms: Smelters
• Subject Areas: Environment; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217936
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309021596
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 22 1973 12:00AM