Jon Pacini on mon 29 apr 02
Greetings All----Valerie wrote-----I'm just wondering if anyone could
predict the future of the manufactured
borates. (Laguna borate, cadycal, etc). I rarely see a glaze recipe
incorporating these products so I'm wondering if their future is secure.
Can I develop glazes with these materials or would it be best to just use
FF3134?-
------Any given product only sticks around as long as there is enough demand
to make it economically feasible to produce. In the last couple of years the
list of ceramic materials that are no longer being mined or processed seems
to be growing at an alarming rate.
Examples of this include, but are not limited to:
Gerstley Borate, Greenstripe fireclay, AP Green fireclay, Ione kaolin, Ione
grog, Muddox grog and a multitude of Frits and stains.
This is due to the fact that Ceramics, and Pottery in particular, is not
the primary use of these materials. And when that use goes away, as is the
case with much of the manufacturing that IS the primary use of these
materials, the amount we potters use just isn't enough to maintain the
mining or processing of those materials.
You could ask--If Sparkplug manufacturing left North America would EPK
be mined?? If household cleansers became cheaper to manufacture in China
would feldspars be mined in North America??? I can predict this----No, they
wouldn't!!!
Of particular interest to this discussion is that Ferro, the
manufacturer of Frit 3134 recently discontinued dozens of Frits. Many of
which were used extensively, but not exclusively, in the production of
ceramic glazes. Not enough of a demand was present 'outside' of ceramics to
continue their production. I wouldn't count on the Frit manufacturers to
come to my rescue.
A material like Laguna Borate is manufactured with pottery use as it's
primary function. It's not used much 'outside' pottery, so it's not
dependent on those 'outside' sales to make it economically feasible to
manufacture. Even with a 'limited' supply of Gerstley still available,
potters who are planning ahead have kept the sale of Laguna Borate quite
brisk. We use it extensively in our own glaze production and it has worked
out well in most cases. There are no plans to drop it from production.
As for seeing new formulas incorporating the replacement borate
products, it took years for formulas to drop Colemanite and Kingman Feldspar
in favor of their replacements. With Gerstley still hanging around, the
transition will be even slower.
In closing---- Can anyone predict the future availability of the
manufactured Borates or ANY mineral used in Pottery????----Yes, eventually
it will cease to be available. Especially if you finally get that big order
for ware you've been praying for.
Jon Pacini
Clay Manager
Laguna Clay Co
Still recovering from our first attempt at an 'open house' here at Laguna
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