Pozzolanicity verification of combustion metamorphic rocks from coalfield fire zones in China

Abstract Coalfield fires are natural disasters that occur worldwide, without geographical boundaries. There are many combustion metamorphic rocks on the surface of the coal fire area. At present, there is no summary of combustion metamorphic rocks in natural and artificial pozzolanic mixed materials, and research on the pozzolanic activity of combustion metamorphic rocks is lacking, which limits the use of combustion metamorphic rocks to produce slurries for fire prevention. In this study, the apparent morphologies and chemical compositions of three types of combustion metamorphic rock samples—baked rock, sintered rock, and lavalike rock—were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and the crystallinity index (CI) was calculated. The results were validated by Frattini tests, which confirmed the synergistic reactions that enhanced the pozzolanic reactions. All three types of combustion metamorphic rocks exhibited pozzolanic activity. The CI value decreased with an increase in the metamorphic degree of the combustion metamorphic rock. The lavalike rock exhibited the highest pozzolanic activity (CI = 5.829), followed by the sintered rock and then the baked rock. Meanwhile, influencing factors of pozzolanicity were studied by the Frattini method. The experimental results provide important guidance for the post-treatment of combustion metamorphic rocks and coal-fire control in loess-deficient areas.