The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on 19 September 2021, resulted in the deposition of large quantities of volcanic ash (VA), causing a great impact on the citizens. This work aims to study the properties of this volcanic ash as pozzolanic raw materials to establish their potential use in the development of sustainable cement. Results of chemical and technical characterization are presented. To achieve this goal, Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) was replaced with standardized percentages of OPC/VA: 10, 25, and 40%. Characterization studies were carried out using chemical analysis of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), chemical quality analysis (QCA), pozzolanicity test (PT) at 8 and 15 days, as well as determining the mechanical strength (MS) at 7, 28, and 90 days. The results obtained by XRF and QCA established that the chemical composition of the VA corresponds to that of the natural pozzolan typical of pyroclastic genesis. The PT test showed that the analyzed samples have a marked pozzolanic nature, both at 8 and 15 days, showing a significant increase in their hydraulic reactivity. Likewise, the MS tests confirmed a continuous increase in mechanical compressive strength, which increased significantly from 7 to 90 days of curing, reaching more than 58 MPa. On the other hand, mechanical tests showed that the three types of dosages used OPC/VA: 10, 25, and 40% were equally effective, with OPC/VA formulations: 10–25% being the most effective. The results obtained in this research could be used by local industries as a guide for the correct use of the volcanic materials of this island, both for the manufacture of construction materials, such as aggregates, and to produce pozzolanic cement with low CO2 emissions, thus having a positive impact on the environment. Finally, the great natural availability of natural VAs in the surrounding areas of La Palma could cover part of the needs for materials used in the construction and restoration of houses and infrastructures damaged during the volcanic eruption.
The use of games as learning tools has become a valuable way to help students to learn while having fun. Based on this idea, BetterGeo is a modification created by the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) on Minecraft, one of the most popular games in the world, to improve to help primary school students to get familiarised with the importance of raw materials in modern life and start learning basic concepts on geology, minerals, mining, mineral processing, and circular economy.Together with the development of the mod, BetterGeo projects also work in the development of learning materials to help teachers and students in this approach to the Raw Materials sector.The project developing this initiative, named BetterGeoEdu, is developed with the support of EIT Raw Materials, one of the eight Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) initiated by the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), funded by the European Commission, and whose mission is to help boost the competitiveness, growth, and attractiveness of the European raw materials sector through radical innovation and guided entrepreneurship. The Technical University of Madrid is one of the partners participating in this pioneering initiative, and in this paper, the idea behind BetterGeo, the goals, and the partners of the consortium are described together with the innovative development of exercises and educational material designed to make easy to primary school students the first contact with raw materials.One of the exercises, which is described in this paper, is a new, fast, simple, and efficient learning tool on rocks and minerals, in the form of an interactive game complementing BetterGeo. It is designed for pre-university level students, with or without a vocation for natural sciences. With the support of four sample boxes containing igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, and mineral rocks for the exercise, the student randomly chooses a sample and starts the game. The game raises several questions about the sample that the student must answer intuitively with a click. If the answer is affirmative, the system offers a route with more information about the sample. If the answer is negative, the system forces the student to go back and start again. If the students can complete the exercise, they will have access to the name of the rock or mineral and will be able to access the sample boxes to start a new analysis. The commands are interactive and intuitive, to better capture the student's attention.This system offers several advantages: the student manages the entire process by himself, learns without prior knowledge, understands instantly the meaning of the questions and answers as they arise based on comparison with objects and situations known to the student. Additionally, it teaches the applications and uses of minerals and rocks in everyday life.
This document has been funded by the Raw MatTERS Ambassadors at Schools 3.0 European project. However it reflects the views only of the authors, and the EIT RawMaterials cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This document has been funded by the Raw MatTERS Ambassadors at Schools 3.0 European project. However it reflects the views only of the authors, and the EIT RawMaterials cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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