Effects of acid treatment on physical and chemical properties of kaolinite clay from Mayo-Kebi, Garoua sedimentary basin, Cameroon

Kaolinite clay treated by Hydrochloric acid available at Mayo-Kebi, Garoua sedimentary Bassin, northern region of Cameroon was characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA and Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM). This research was performed to improve the purification of kaolinite with the goal of reducing the impurities of iron oxides. The experiments showed that treatment of kaolinite in dilute hydrochloric acid clean the clay minerals by removing iron oxides and other metallic compounds from the surface of the clay.