• Materials for Ceramics

G-200 Feldspar

Alternate Names: G200 Feldspar, G200 Spar, G 200 Spar, G 200, G 200 Feldspar

Description: Potash/sodium/calcium 200 mesh Feldspar

Notes

G-200 Feldspar was a high quality potassium / sodium / calcium aluminum silicate ground to 200 mesh for ceramic applications. Carefully beneficiated and controlled for quality, G-200 offered high potash content and low iron oxide per unit of alumina. It was mined in Monticello, GA.

September 2013: The trials at the Feldspar Corporation failed. After 57 years of operations, the Monticello plant was targeted for closure on December 31, 2013 because there was no additional available potassium feldspar ore in the area. However a G200 equivalent material imported from Spain was slated for availability in bulk bags and 25 kg bags (for around $350-450 ton plus shipping). These products were to be sold from Savannah, GA or Newark, NJ (90 days lead time for orders).

2013: Laguna Clay markets a 3:7 blend of Minspar:G200HP that they call "Old Blend" and it is a close equivalent of the old G200. This is because HP is higher in K₂O and lower in CaO than G200 (other oxides are the same) and Minspar is the opposite; so they are a natural mix to duplicate G200. Laguna also sells the new HP material and refers to it as "New Potash".

Jan 2013: Data sheet from Imerys had the following comparison (we have added Minspar):

G200 G200 HP G200 SP Minspar200
SiO₂ (%) 66.3 66.0 65.5 68.8
Al₂O₃ (%) 18.5 18.3 18.8. 18.2
Fe₂O₃ (%) 0.08 .09 .08 .07
K₂O (%) 10.8 14.2 10.7 4.1
Na₂O (%) 3.1 0.9 3.8 6.5
CaO (%) 0.8 0.3 0.8 1.5
The surface areas and particle sizes are the same.

December 2012: The Feldspar Corporation in Spruce Pine will be conducting trials to produce a potassium feldspar of similar quality to the Monticello material (because the ore body in Monticello is almost gone).

August 2009: The Feldspar Corporation has traditionally blended sodium feldspar from Spruce Pine, NC with potassium feldspar from Monticello, GA. This was done in an effort to match the chemistry from a depleted mine. However this material is being replaced by G-200HP. It is higher in potassium and alkali levels because the blending practice is being stopped by Imerys. They are recommending a 3:7 blend of sodium feldspar (Minspar 200) with the new G-200HP feldspar to match G200. Kona F4 Feldspar has the same chemistry as Minspar but its mine is closing.

Related Information

Custer feldspar vs. G200 feldspar

This is a melt fluidity test fired to cone 10. By themselves, feldspar melts surprisingly less than you might think at cone 10.

Old Blend Feldspar. What is that?

Laguna Clay sells a substitute for the no-longer-available G200 feldspar. G200 HP is higher in K₂O and lower in CaO than G200, Minspar is an ideal addition since it's K₂O is much lower and CaO much higher. A 7:3 G200HP:Minspar mix produces a chemistry that is remarkably close (on paper) to G200. They label this blend "Old Blend". They also list a product called "New Potash" in their pricelist, that is G200 HP.

Which common American/Canadian feldspars can substitute for each other?

Feldspars are employed in glaze recipes as melters. So comparing their melt fluidities should be helpful in deciding if one can substitute for another (of course, if possible a soda predominant feldspar should be substituted for another soda spar). Feldspars don't melt alone at cone 6 (2200F) so we mixed each with 15% Ferro Frit 3195. Nepheline Syenite is obviously the champion melter here. Other similar ones can be spotted easily. In the end, degree of melt is a valid consideration in determining if one feldspar is a viable substitute for another in a recipe. Even if the feldspar you want to substitute does not melt as much a little frit can be added to the recipe to make up for the difference (e.g. even just 1 or 2%).

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