The Role of Heavy Minerals in the Characteristics of Concrete: A Comprehensive Review

Heavy minerals, including barite, hematite, magnetite, ilmenite, and chromite slag, enhance mechanical strength, durability, and shielding efficiency. This review addresses the challenges associated with integrating heavy minerals into concrete, including reduced workability and complex mix design requirements. It aims to synthesise the effect of significant heavy minerals on the mechanical, thermal, and radiation attenuation properties of concrete, assess the trade-offs between improved performance and limitations in the fresh state, and identify optimal mineral combinations for targeted applications. Conventional concrete frequently does not possess the necessary density and radiation shielding for specialized applications, including nuclear facilities, medical facilities, and high-load structures. The primary focus of the systematic literature review was on mineral content, replacement ratios, and performance measures; thermal stability, durability, gamma and neutron shielding, and compressive strength were assessed through statistical trends and comparative frameworks. The findings indicate that magnetite can achieve a compressive strength of up to 68 MPa and improve microwave de-icing efficiency, whereas barite enhances gamma ray shielding by 30-51% relative to standard concrete. Hematite increases ultra-high performance concrete’s radiation attenuation by 43% and its thermal conductivity by 8.95%. At 450C˚ °C, ilmenite retains 80% of its strength and exhibits exceptional resistance to frost. However, brittleness and decreased fracture energy are caused by higher mineral concentrations. To avoid strength trade-offs, chromite slag and Nano zirconia must be dosed precisely, even though they further increase durability. According to the study, heavy minerals significantly improve concrete performance for certain applications; however, their use requires balanced mix designs to reduce workability losses and environmental impacts.