The storage of the phosphogypsum in stockpiles causes serious environmental problems. In order to avoid them, this by-product should be utilised. Hence, one solution is to employ it as a binding material, so that its structural and binding properties must be satisfactory. Depending on the type of original phosphate rock, the microstructure of phosphogypsum may differ, determining its main physical-mechanical properties. However, research with comparative analyses of the properties of phosphogypsum from different origins is almost inexistent. Therefore, in this study, the microstructure of phosphogypsum from two different sources is analysed: the first type is from Kovdor mine (Russia); the second is a mixture between material from Kirov (Russia) and Casablanca (Morocco) mines. The microstructure of both phosphogypsum types was analysed and compared by applying SEM-DES analysis and by measuring the loss on ignition. In order to obtain high mechanical properties, the material was processed by press-forming. Eventually, the mechanical properties of hardened phosphogypsum of both types were obtained by compression test and then compared.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.