Review Ceramic with potential application of ngwenfon alluvial clays (noun, west cameroon) in building construction: Mineralogy, physicochemical composition and thermal behaviour I.Y. Bomeni a,⇑ , A. Njoya b , F. Ngapgue c , A.S.L. Wouatong a , R. Yongue Fouateu d , V. Kamgang Kabeyene e , N. Fagel f a Department of Earth Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67 Dschang, Cameroon b Department of Plastic Art and Art History, Fine Arts Institute of Foumban, P.O. Box 31, Foumban, Cameroon c Department of Civil Engineering, Fotso Victor Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 134, Bandjoun, Cameroon d Department of Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, P. O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon e Department of Earth Sciences, Higher Teacher Training College, P.O Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon f Department of Geology, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium highlights  Four types of alluvial Clay’s from Ngwenfon have been characterized.  Kaolinite and quartz were mostly mineral identified.  Sintering of specimen has showed a significant densification at 1150 °C.  Neoformed mineral like mullite and spinel have started nucleation at 1050 °C. article info Article history: Received 26 February 2018 Received in revised form 9 May 2018 Accepted 16 June 2018 Keywords: Cameroon Alluvial clays Characterization Ceramic properties Building construction abstract Our aim is to characterize four types of alluvial clays from the locality of Ngwenfon situated 35 km from Foumban (West Cameroon). X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, chemical composition, particle size dis- tribution, organic matter content and plasticity were investigated in raw clay materials in order to deter- mine their suitability for building material and firing bricks in particular. Ceramics properties such as linear shrinkage, water absorption, flexural strength, compressive strength, bulk density and mineral neoformations were also investigated by firing specimen bricks at a temperature range of 800 °C– 1150 °C. Kaolinite, quartz, goethite, feldspar and illite represent the dominant mineral phases, in addition to minor quantities of chlorite, gibbsite, anatase and plagioclase. The main oxides are; SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and Fe 2 O 3 . The physical parameters of the alluvial clays display a continuous and various particles size with a relatively high plastic index (12%–36%) and high organic matter contents (9%–13%). A significant den- sification has been observed at a temperature of 1150 °C. This was confirmed by the appearance of new mineral phases such as mullite, cristobalite and spinel, which are responsible for the increased mechan- ical strength and a reduction in water absorption. Most of the alluvial clays from Ngwenfon display suit- able ceramic properties at sintering range from 1000 °C to 1150 °C. However, the black clays, with low ceramic properties at temperatures of 1150 °C, are inappropriate for fired brick production. These black clays are characterized by a compressive strength lower than the required value of 20 MPa for the stan- dard reference. Ó 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 494 2. Geographic and geological setting........................................................................................ 494 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.06.135 0950-0618/Ó 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ⇑ Corresponding author. E-mail address: Isaac.bomeni@univ-dschang.org (I.Y. Bomeni). Construction and Building Materials 182 (2018) 493–503 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Construction and Building Materials journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/conbuildmat