Description

Ball clay is an extremely rare mineral found in very few places around the world. Its name dates back to the early methods of mining when specialized hand tools were used to extract the clay in rough cube shapes of about 30 cm. As the corners were knocked through handling and storage these cubes became rounded and "ball" shaped.

Ball clays are kaolinitic sedimentary clays that commonly consist of 20-80% kaolinite, 10-25% mica, 6-65% quartz as well as organic matter. Ball clay is formed from the weathering and transportation by water of parent rocks which are deposited in ancient river basins from where it is extracted.

• Resistant to high temperatures and high plasticity
• Has a high binding power
• It is mainly used in ceramics, sanitary ware, and electrical porcelain insulators
• It improves the workability of ceramics during shaping, drying, and firing stages