PROCESS FOR OBTAINING VITREOUS FIBRES FROM SLATE RESIDUES AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL RESIDUES

Process for obtaining vitreous fibers based on the fusion and subsequent fiber-making of mixtures of residues from slate cutting and polishing with other industrial residues for obtaining melted compositions of low viscosity, characterised in that the fusion mixture is composed of milled slate residues (50% to 90% by weight), dry red mud from the Bayer process (5% to 35% by weight) and milled mussel shells (5% to 35% by weight) at temperatures between 1200 and 1700ºC. The mixture is melted in a suitable crucible in a gas furnace, conventional electrical furnace, induction furnace, microwave furnace or a solar furnace. The melted mixture is made into fibers either manually or automatically. The melted mass has conventional industrial applications for making vitreous or vitroceramic items, tiles, paving and similar materials by the normal processes of casting, extrusion, thermal recrystallisation and other similar processes.