Julie Brooks on mon 2 may 11
Hello All,
The corporate types (who are in business for profit only) first
"create a need", then they "market a brand", they throw around a lot
of money doing it...a cost, which in the end goes on your bill. We
know you will be smart so you don't get hit in your pocket.
To clarify ..here are the facts about Gerstley Borate from Laguna
Clay Company.
1. Starting with the basics and answering the first question, =3DE2=3D=
80=3D
=3D9CWhat is
the supply, should I be concerned?=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
I quote part of a letter provided to Jeff Zamek for an article he was
writing this year=3DE2=3D80=3DA6
=3DE2=3D80=3D9C=3DE2=3D80=3DA6 At present there is
an estimated 19 to 20 year supply of ore which can be ground to a 200
mesh powder that potters can use in their glaze formulas. The
stockpile is estimated at 3000 TONS. In early 2000 U.S. Borax
announced the closing of the Gerstley borate mine. The news was
published in Ceramics Monthly which led to a substantial increase in
sales by potters hoping to buy enough until a suitable substitute was
found. Many older potters stated they have bought enough to last a
lifetime=3DE2=3D80=3DA6.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D.
So the answer is 3000 tons or 6,000,000 pounds.
2. What is the quality of the Gersley Borate available from the
original mine?
Laguna has been using from the same stock pile for the last ten
years. Because there is no new mining and the supply was moved to a
storage pad the stockpile is very homogenous and should remain so
until it is used up.
Now to address this post about =3DE2=3D80=3D9Cnot exactly careful mixing=3D=
E2=3D80=3DA6=3D
=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
=3D46rom post by Paul Lewing, April 28th
"...Gerstley Borate actually only ever came from one mine in California.
It was wildly inconsistent from one point in the mine to another, and
to compensate for that, I heard that they tried to mix it all together
to get it more consistent, but since they did the mixing with a front-
end loader, it wasn't exactly careful. "
Most mined raw materials are mixed with front end loaders...the
process is as follows. Material is brought out of the mine and dumped
in long lines which are leveled, then the loads are dumped on top of
that line...the process repeats, layer upon layer. Then loaders
(front end loaders) pick up from the end of the pile. Then the
material is ground, size sorted and packaged.
Gerstley Borate was mined and mixed that way. THEN because the
mine was closed the material was mixed AGAIN as it was taken to the
storage pad. It is mixed again as it is ground and bagged.
Nothing out of the ordinary for a mined raw material and probably more
consistent due to the additional move to the storage pad.
3. Why isn=3DE2=3D80=3D99t the Gerstly Borate analysis on line?
I quote a post by Ron Roy April 30th
=3DE2=3D80=3D9CBit of a mystery here - the analysis for GB used to be avai=
labl=3D
e from
Laguna but they are not supplying the analysis anymore - I don't know
why.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
It is not a mystery, no one asked for it. We were not aware it was
not up. We will post it as soon as possible and since there is such a
flurry of interest, we will do a new analysis.
4. Technical person said the analysis changes?
I quote from Sumi von Dassows post April 30th
=3DE2=3D80=3D9CI spoke to a technical person at Laguna once a few years ago=
and=3D
he said
They don't try to publish an analysis for GB any more because it changes =
=3D
so
often.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
=3D20
Must have been a while ago...per Paul Lewing's comment...When they were
actively mining the deposit, the analysis of the material did change. Th=
=3D
at
is not the case at this point, since the material is coming from a static=
=3D
stockpile. Again, since there is such interest, we will post a new analy=
=3D
sis
on our site and let you know it is up.
Thanks,
Julie Brooks
Ron Roy on mon 2 may 11
Hi Julie,
Wonderful news - I can't remember just when I asked for it - many =3D20
years ago - the answer was something like - we don't do that anymore.
Your offer will be very useful - thanks - RR
Quoting Julie Brooks :
> Hello All,
> The corporate types (who are in business for profit only) first
> "create a need", then they "market a brand", they throw around a lot
> of money doing it...a cost, which in the end goes on your bill. We
> know you will be smart so you don't get hit in your pocket.
> To clarify ..here are the facts about Gerstley Borate from Laguna
> Clay Company.
>
> 1. Starting with the basics and answering the first question, =3DE2=
=3D80=3D
=3D9CWhat is
> the supply, should I be concerned?=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
> I quote part of a letter provided to Jeff Zamek for an article he was
> writing this year=3DE2=3D80=3DA6
>
> =3DE2=3D80=3D9C=3DE2=3D80=3DA6 At present there is
> an estimated 19 to 20 year supply of ore which can be ground to a 200
> mesh powder that potters can use in their glaze formulas. The
> stockpile is estimated at 3000 TONS. In early 2000 U.S. Borax
> announced the closing of the Gerstley borate mine. The news was
> published in Ceramics Monthly which led to a substantial increase in
> sales by potters hoping to buy enough until a suitable substitute was
> found. Many older potters stated they have bought enough to last a
> lifetime=3DE2=3D80=3DA6.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D.
>
> So the answer is 3000 tons or 6,000,000 pounds.
>
> 2. What is the quality of the Gersley Borate available from the
> original mine?
> Laguna has been using from the same stock pile for the last ten
> years. Because there is no new mining and the supply was moved to a
> storage pad the stockpile is very homogenous and should remain so
> until it is used up.
> Now to address this post about =3DE2=3D80=3D9Cnot exactly careful mixing=
=3DE2=3D80=3D
=3DA6=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
> From post by Paul Lewing, April 28th
> "...Gerstley Borate actually only ever came from one mine in California.
> It was wildly inconsistent from one point in the mine to another, and
> to compensate for that, I heard that they tried to mix it all together
> to get it more consistent, but since they did the mixing with a front-
> end loader, it wasn't exactly careful. "
>
> Most mined raw materials are mixed with front end loaders...the
> process is as follows. Material is brought out of the mine and dumped
> in long lines which are leveled, then the loads are dumped on top of
> that line...the process repeats, layer upon layer. Then loaders
> (front end loaders) pick up from the end of the pile. Then the
> material is ground, size sorted and packaged.
> Gerstley Borate was mined and mixed that way. THEN because the
> mine was closed the material was mixed AGAIN as it was taken to the
> storage pad. It is mixed again as it is ground and bagged.
> Nothing out of the ordinary for a mined raw material and probably more
> consistent due to the additional move to the storage pad.
>
> 3. Why isn=3DE2=3D80=3D99t the Gerstly Borate analysis on line?
> I quote a post by Ron Roy April 30th
> =3DE2=3D80=3D9CBit of a mystery here - the analysis for GB used to be av=
ailable=3D
from
> Laguna but they are not supplying the analysis anymore - I don't know
> why.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
>
> It is not a mystery, no one asked for it. We were not aware it was
> not up. We will post it as soon as possible and since there is such a
> flurry of interest, we will do a new analysis.
>
> 4. Technical person said the analysis changes?
> I quote from Sumi von Dassows post April 30th
> =3DE2=3D80=3D9CI spoke to a technical person at Laguna once a few years a=
go and =3D
he said
> They don't try to publish an analysis for GB any more because it changes =
s=3D
o
> often.=3DE2=3D80=3D9D
>
> Must have been a while ago...per Paul Lewing's comment...When they were
> actively mining the deposit, the analysis of the material did change. Th=
a=3D
t
> is not the case at this point, since the material is coming from a static
> stockpile. Again, since there is such interest, we will post a new analy=
s=3D
is
> on our site and let you know it is up.
>
> Thanks,
> Julie Brooks
>
Julie Brooks on tue 3 may 11
Hello,
It seems in all that cutting and pasting, my credentials and company
contact were omitted.
Julie Brooks,
Creative Director
Laguna Clay Company
Julie@lagunaclay.com or 800-4Laguna ext 211
Thanks,
Julie
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