Ceramic Raw materials

Formation of Clay
In general clay minerals have been formed from the decomposition of igneous
rocks such as granite, which were themselves formed by solidification of molten
materials from the interior of earth.
Granite is composed of approximately equal proportion of mineral mica (K2O3
Al2O3 6SiO2 2H2O), Quartz (SiO2) and Feldspar ( K2O Al2O3 6SiO2). In this feldspar is
the least stable to the action of water and air. Thus by the decomposition (Kaolinisation)
of feldspar over a long periods kaolinite clays have been formed. All the potash and part
of silica in feldspar have been dissolved away and the clay will remain as residue.
K2O Al2O3 6SiO2 + 2H2O Al2O3 2SiO2 2H2O + K2O + 4SiO2
In this Potash and Quartz particles gets separated and the clay will remain as residue.

Classification of Clay

Clays

Primary Clays Secondary Clays

Kaolin Bentonite Latarite Refractory Fusible Vetrifiable

Clay

Pure Kaolin Fire Clay Fire Clay

Ferruginous Kaolin Marl Marl
Alkaline Kaolin Flint Fire Clay Flint Fire Clay
Siliceous Kaolin Refined fire clay Refined fire clay
Alkaline Siliceous

In clays there are mainly two types called Primary or Residual clays and
Secondary or Sedimentary clays. The clay once formed from the parent rock may be
deposited at its place of origin is called primary clay. Where as the same clay transported
by natural agencies from its origin to some other location is called secondary clays.
Normally residual clays are found much pure in nature. But these are just less
plastic in nature. China clay, kaolin and bentonite come under this group of clay. Primary
clays are more refractory (i.e. the material with higher melting temperature).

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The secondary clays are transported from one location to another in suspension
with water. At their transportation large particles and part of potash and silica remain /
settle in between the path. Thus become much plastic than the primary clay. In the mean
time the clay gets contaminated during transportation with organic materials like wooden
pieces, leafs, bones or other oxides like iron oxides, titanium oxides and other salts. Thus
they are much impure and due to the presence of basic oxides the melting temperature
remains very low.
Kaolin: - the term kaolin came from the Chinese word Kan-Ling - means high
rigid. But now the term refers to the primary clay, which is white in color derived from
rocks composed entirely of feldspar and other mineral containing iron oxide. These clays
contain a high percentage of mineral kaolin to gather with other hydrous alumina silicate.
Pure Kaolin: - this clay should not contain more than 5% of free silica and 2%
fluxes. The clay after firing gives light pink color.
Siliceous Kaolin: - this kaolin contains 25% of free silica in the powder state.
These are not very plastic as the pure kaolin. And these are used in the manufacturing of
porcelain and certain kind of fine wares where high plastic body is not required.
Alkaline Kaolin: - these clays contain 5% of alkaline earth materials derived from
feldspar and mica. The proportion of iron may vary up to 2%. By very careful washing
this clay can be purified, which remove the greater part of alkalis. This kaolin is used for
making earthenware and fine potteries.
Alkaline Siliceous Kaolin: - these clays contain considerable proportions of both
alkalis and silica content. This clay will be less refractory and have properties of both
alkaline and siliceous kaolin.
China Clay: - these are residual clays and are essentially composed of clay
mineral kaolinite contaminated with silica, mica, feldspar and partially decomposed
feldspar, all from the native parent rock. Large deposits of china clay are found in Devon
and Cornwell. The clay mineral is much finer than the contaminating material and thus it
is easily purified by sedimentation, giving white clay. This clay burns white, and may
give light pink to buff color due to the presence of coloring impurities particularly iron
and titanium compounds. Though these clay is pre it is also used as refractory clay &
because of its white burning property it was also used as decorative ware. Large

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quantities of china clay are used in paper manufacture, paint manufacture and in ceramic
industry.
Secondary Clay
As mentioned earlier that the deposits of secondary clay are not found in the place
of origin, they found in riverbeds etc. these clays are generally more plastic than the
primary clays on the account of physical and chemical changes undergone during their
transportation. There are several varieties of secondary clays found in nature. Among
these generally using clays in ceramic industries are divided in 3 parts as
Vitrifiable clays
Refractory clay
Fusible clay
Refractory Clay: - these are distinguished by their nature of withstanding high
temperature of firing pure primary clay comes under this group. They are normally found
under coal beds. But its refractoriness cant be said accurately in terms of temperature
because of possible contamination of impurities.
Different types of refractory clays are
Fire Clay
Flint fire clay
Marl refined fire clay
Fire Clays: - these are also formed from feldspar and the clay mineral is
essentially kaolinite. They are found wide spread over the midlands and north of England
and in Scotland. In some cases they are residual and most of them are sedimentary which
have been transported over a long distances before deposition. They are of fine particle
size and therefore plastic & like ball clays they contain coloring impurities and fire to a
buff color. Due to their low alkali content they are chiefly used for their refractory
properties.
Marls: - They are naturally occurring mixture of clay with large proportion of
chalk stone powder.
Flint fire clay: - these are highly alluminous flint like hard clay used only as
grinding media in ball mill because of its hardness. The main unwanted impurity present
in fire clay is iron. It is present in several forms as sulphides carbonates and oxides and

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also in different states. The iron compounds are coarse then 200 mesh makes black or
brown specks on refractory wares. These iron impurities cause for the failure of
refractory. And such coarse iron compounds are to be removed by magnetic separation.
Some time the clay is calcined to a temperature of 400-600C and ground finely & finally
passed through magnetic separator. The next Varity of iron content present in fire clay
will be of 325-mesh sieve size. These impurities cannot be removed by commercial
fusible method. These impurities are uniformly distributed in the clay that imparts
uniform color to the fired ware.
Vitrifiable clay: - these clays which are fusible at nearly 1350C. The clay contain
a high proportion of fluxes than the refractory clay and serve as base for manufacture of
stoneware and sanitary ware.
Fusible Clays: - these clays are generally fired relatively at low temperature.
Some of these clays melt completely below porcelains melting temperature. And such
clays are useful in making pottery and tiles. Where as the most common variety is used
for making common brick. This fusible clay generally contains large proportion of silica
mostly in free state and fluxes such as lime iron soda and potash. The color of fusible
clay is variable. The fired is being red orange to yellow or brownish. Yellow according to
iron compound and other material such as lime and magnesia present in the clay.
Shales: - these are naturally harder clays, which have been compressed hard under
pressure of the super mass. They generally occur in intermediate position between clay
and shales. Since the shales are greatly vary composition and are being used various
proportion for different wares.
Loams: - These are composed of clay, sand and coarser particle, which are
generally used for tiles and brick manufacture.
Loess: - these are impure siliceous clays often calcareous and are commonly
available at water deposits but many times they form by wind action. Loess are mostly
used for pot making. The color varies from yellow to brown. The slit deposits of gangatic
valley belong to the group of clay and used for same purpose.
Stone ware clays: - this is a variety of clay commonly used in the manufacture of
stone ware pipes. The clay had good plasticity and low firing shrinkage. The ware made
by this clay will be porous if not fired to required temperature.

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These clays are used apart from making stone ware and art-ware and modern
structural and terracotta wares.
Brick clay: - these comprise a wide variety of clays of varying composition. They
are invariably high in iron content. They have high plasticity and burn hard strong
because of high impurity content, fluxing addition is not necessary & the clay often fired
at a relatively low temperature. Some deposits are high in organic matter, which ignites
on firing, and reduce the amount of fuel necessary to fire the ware.
Impurities in clay and its role
Silica Impurities: - Excess silica commonly occurs in the clay as mineral quartz.
If the quartz particles are visible to naked eyes, it is called as sand and the clay is called
sandy clay. Usually sand is stained red or yellow by iron oxides and it is a source of iron
impurity in the clay. The free silica in clay, which is non-plastic ingredient, has influence
on its plasticity workability green strength etc.
Alumina Impurities: - Alumina occurring in clay in excess quantity is present as
hydrate alumina minerals, such as gibbsite, bauxite, diaspore are found in the high
alumina clays. The minerals occur in small particles and some time occur spherical in
shapes in small grain size.
Alumina being refractory present as an impurity is advantageous and have more
commercial value for refractory application. As plastic materials, it also influences on the
green strength, plasticity, workability and shrinkage of clay.
Iron Impurities: - iron is variably present in all natural clay even after most
careful purification, which does not end in success in removing the entire iron compound.
Iron is present in clay as oxide, sulphide and carbonate form. Iron content is present in
oxide form as hematite, which imparts red color to clay and imparts yellow to brownish
color to clay if iron is present in the form of hydrous oxide of iron. And by the presence
of Fe2SO4 it forms dark slag like compound in combination with silicate in clay. This will
be low fusible silicate, which influences the refractoriness of clay.
The carbonate and clay of iron, which decomposed during firing, will have
determined effect on the fired product which cause for light blue and black color

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Calcium Nitrate: - Clay which combine with large proportion of lime or dolomite
as impurity which will uniformly distributed in the form of nodules. If calcium is present
in the form of gypsum which was soluble in water and forms a white scum in clay mass.
When it is wet & will fade the color of clay in the form of white patches on the surface of
fired products.
Magnesium: - Occurs in clay in small amount as magnasite and dolomite. The
presence of mineral magnesia n the clay must be low. If its presence in considerable
proportion around 30% will reduce the fusion point of clay to some where around
1300C. magnasite increases shrinkage of clay when fired.
Titanium: - It is one of the common elements present in almost all clay. It is
present in clay as varieties of titanium forms. It acts as fluxing material in small
proportion in clays although titanium dioxide is a refractory material. Clay with more
than 2% of TiO2 is never used in refractory manufacture. Clay with large proportion of
TiO2 is never used in refractory manufacture. Clay with large proportion of TiO2 is most
suitable for using in the electrical ceramics because of its excellent electrical properties.
Alkali Impurities: - These are commonly present in clay as Na & K compounds.
The cheep source of alkalis in clay is feldspar. This feldspar occurs in clay usually in the
form of very fine particles of minerals, which can only be identified by the microscope.
Although its presence in clay in considerable proportion will have following effects.
Because of its defloculating effect it facilitate easy casting.
It forms a white scum on the surface of wares on drying. Even after firing it
increases the fusibility of clay when fired.

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Purification of clay by Electro Osmos Plant

It is the recent method of refining clay apart from the conventional process. This
method is based on the principle that, when clay is suspended in water, most of clay
particles attain negative charge. Where as other impurity in clay such as quartz particles
and other organic impurities attain positive charge.
Here in this process the kaolin is mixed with about four times its weight of water
and thoroughly blunged with the required amount of sodium silicate solution. Which mix
the clay slip thoroughly and allows it to flow through narrow channel. In the mean time
the coarser particles settle down. And the clay in suspension is finally collected in
blunger where coarser fine particles further settle down through osmos plant.
Here in this plant because of the action of electric current on the kaolin
suspension the fine particles of kaolin deposits in the anode as thick body. Where as the
impurities remained in water suspension are collected at the cathode and is removed by
the workers.
Clay
The setup in OSMOS plant consists of a
Anode
cylinder of 1.5mts long and 0.6mts in diameter
which revolve slowly on horizontal axis. The
cylinder is immersed into slip. Around the
immersed part of drum there is semi-circular Cathode
cathode of thick gauge. The cylinder itself is an
anode. The clay slip is made to flow slowly
between two poles in a perpendicular direction to that of direct current from DC supply
of 110Volts and 0.01Amp/cm2. The piece of wooden agitator will take care of slip from
settling below. A thin layer of about 10mm of pure clay with 20-25% of water is
deposited on the surface of drum which s scraped off by means of suitable scrapers and
charged in to the blunger than filter pressed or dried straight away in tunnel drier.
This type of plant can produce about 9 tons of pure clay body with consumption
of 200KW/H of Power.

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