Effect of Heat Treatment on the Properties of Perlis Dolomite Powder

Dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2, is a carbonate mineral naturally found in the sedimentary rocks associated with limestone and chalks, which has gained much interest for its potential as a raw material for bioceramic production. Aside from the important natural elements, dolomite is typically composed of organic compounds, carbonates and moisture. Therefore, heat treatment was required for dolomite to decarbonise the carbon content and remove volatiles and impurities, thus improving its purity. However, there were several previous studies on the heat treatment of dolomite minerals, and limited scientific findings have been published specifically for Perlis dolomite. The composition of natural mineral resources always slightly differs with different source locations, which affects some of its properties. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the influence of the heat treatment process on the physical, chemical, and structural properties of Perlis dolomite and evaluate its potential for bioceramic production. The raw and processed dolomite were analysed through XRF, TGA-DSC, BET, XRD and FTIR. The findings showed that the heat treatment process is crucial for Perlis dolomite to improve its purity, enhance the oxide compounds, especially calcium and magnesium oxide, and activate the dolomite by forming hydroxyl groups. These important findings also proved the high potential of heat-treated Perlis dolomite as a promising precursor for bioceramic production.