Difference between revisions of "Ball clay"

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[[File:image 8-ball clay.jpg|thumb|Ball Clay]]
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[[File:Ball clay.jpg|thumb|Ball Clay]]
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
  
A fine, soft, very plastic clay. Ball clay is a relatively pure, [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=secondary%20clay secondary clay] composed of [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=kaolin kaolin] (20-90%), [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=mica mica] (5-45%), and [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=quartz quartz] (1-70%). The high quality clay is found in England (Wareham, Dorset, Devon) and the U.S. (Kentucky, Tennessee). Originally, ball clay was dug up and made into 30-35 pound balls for transportation by horses. The fine-grain clay contains small amounts of carbon and other organic materials that give it an intial dark color. These materials are combusted during firing leaving a white vessel. Ball clay is very plastic and has a high shrinkage rate of up to 20 %. It is often mixed with other clays to increase their plasticity. Ball clay is used in the manufacture of ceramics, whiteware, porcelain, glass, and tiles.
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A fine, soft, very plastic clay. Ball clay is a relatively pure, [[secondary clay]] composed of [[kaolin]] (20-90%), [[mica]] (5-45%), and [[quartz]] (1-70%). The high quality clay is found in England (Wareham, Dorset, Devon) and the U.S. (Kentucky, Tennessee). Originally, ball clay was dug up and made into 30-35 pound balls for transportation by horses. The fine-grain clay contains small amounts of carbon and other organic materials that give it an initial dark color. These materials are combusted during firing leaving a white vessel. Ball clay is very plastic and has a high shrinkage rate of up to 20 %. It is often mixed with other clays to increase their plasticity. Ball clay is used in the manufacture of ceramics, whiteware, porcelain, glass, and tiles.
  
 
== Synonyms and Related Terms ==
 
== Synonyms and Related Terms ==
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argile plastique (Fr.);  argila gorda (Port.)
 
argile plastique (Fr.);  argila gorda (Port.)
  
== Authority ==
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==Resources and Citations==
  
 
* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 428
 
* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 428

Latest revision as of 16:44, 1 May 2022

Ball Clay

Description

A fine, soft, very plastic clay. Ball clay is a relatively pure, Secondary clay composed of Kaolin (20-90%), Mica (5-45%), and Quartz (1-70%). The high quality clay is found in England (Wareham, Dorset, Devon) and the U.S. (Kentucky, Tennessee). Originally, ball clay was dug up and made into 30-35 pound balls for transportation by horses. The fine-grain clay contains small amounts of carbon and other organic materials that give it an initial dark color. These materials are combusted during firing leaving a white vessel. Ball clay is very plastic and has a high shrinkage rate of up to 20 %. It is often mixed with other clays to increase their plasticity. Ball clay is used in the manufacture of ceramics, whiteware, porcelain, glass, and tiles.

Synonyms and Related Terms

argile plastique (Fr.); argila gorda (Port.)

Resources and Citations

  • G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 428
  • Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)
  • Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
  • Henry Hodges, Artifacts: An Introduction to Early Materials and Technology, Ronald P. Frye, Kingston, Canada, 1988
  • Robert Fournier, Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery, Chilton Book Company, Radnor, PA, 1992
  • Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
  • The Dictionary of Art, Grove's Dictionaries Inc., New York, 1996 Comment: "Ceramics"