In this research, industrial waste materials, such as fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, metakaolin, and rice husk ash, were employed for the manufacture of environmental friendly artificial lightweight aggregates using cold bonding pelletization process. Alkali activator solution, a combination of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide, was used as coagulant in order to improve the quality of the produced aggregates.

Specific gravity, water absorption, loose weight, crushing strength, organic impurities, salt content, sulphur content, and metal leaching tests were carried out to study the properties of aggregates according to European Standards. The performance test results indicated that the produced aggregates could be used as lightweight concrete aggregates.