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fireclay in europe????

updated sun 24 aug 03

 

Lily Krakowski on fri 22 aug 03


Purple not being my color, I am tired of holding my breath.

I expected someone soon would tell us WHY WHY WHY neither Russel (Belgium)
nor Alissa (Denmark) can find fireclay.

I mean what is so geologically rare about f.c.? They must have something
they use for furnace building.....

Please...someone....tell me.

Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389

Be of good courage....

Russel Fouts on sat 23 aug 03


Lily

>> I expected someone soon would tell us WHY WHY WHY neither Russel (Belgium) nor Alissa (Denmark) can find fireclay. I mean what is so geologically rare about f.c.? They must have something they use for furnace building..... <<

Or Wally in Belgium!

I admit, I wasn't really looking, just curious.

However, with Belgium's history as having been one of the worlds largest
coal exporters and fireclay's trait of being found either under or over
coal seams, I would assume that it does exist here but is not mined or
marketed for some reason.

It might also not be available because of differences in mining
techniques. In Belgium we dug coal in deep shafts.

I'm sure geological survey maps would reveal seams of fireclay but
getting to them might be a problem.

Russel

--
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Steve Mills on sat 23 aug 03


Lilli,

Fournier (1st Edition) defines UK fireclays as:

FIRECLAY
A general name for sedimentary clays usually associated with coal
measures-they are very ancient deposits. Many are black and shaly,
compressed to a coal-like consistency, and must be pulverized before
use. The 'underclays' immediately beneath the coal seams break down more
readily in water. In the best fireclays impurities, i.e. minerals or
oxides other than kaolinite, alumina and silica, should not exceed 5%.
Not all fireclays are especially refractory, however, and may contain
carbonates of iron and calcium. Particle size averages 0.1 -5.0 microns.
Reasonable plasticity and dry strength. Fired color is buff to light-
brown. Used by potters in refractory mixtures and as a body component.
Grading of the refractory clays is by alumina content. Those with 38%
A1203 or more are called aluminous fireclays. The common fireclays have
35-37% alumina-the high-duty clays 45% or more.

I suspect that European Fireclays are not a million miles away from
this.

Steve
Bath
UK



In message , Lily Krakowski writes
>Purple not being my color, I am tired of holding my breath.
>
>I expected someone soon would tell us WHY WHY WHY neither Russel (Belgium)
>nor Alissa (Denmark) can find fireclay.
>
>I mean what is so geologically rare about f.c.? They must have something
>they use for furnace building.....
>
>Please...someone....tell me.
>
>Lili Krakowski
>P.O. Box #1
>Constableville, N.Y.
>(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389
>
>Be of good courage....

--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK