The Behavior of Jordanian Oil Shale during Combustion Process from the El-Lajjun Deposit

The results of X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and FTIR spectroscopy analyses of mineral composition indicated that the El-Lajjun oil shale is principally composed of calcite, quartz with minor amounts of kaolinite), gypsum, and apatite. The obtained oil shale ash products at 830 °C and 1030 °C are dominated by lime, quartz, anhydrite, portlandite, gehlenite, and amorphous phases. The TGA weight loss curves clearly indicate that it occurred in the temperature range from 310 to 650 °C. The decomposition of oil shale carbonates was detected above 750°C. The functional groups in the organic material of oil shale are dominated by the aliphatic hydrocarbons, the semi-ash of which had diverse structures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The most intensive of combustion occurred in the temperature range of 400–750 °C. In this temperature range, about 75 wt.% was accounted for the total mass loss.