Six different sedimentary clays are extracted from this quarry. It was opened in the 1970s, the best location available at the time. These test bars were made by slaking select lumps from each layer (thus exhibiting their best performance). The left-most dried test bars show the layers (top to bottom). The A1 top layer is the most plastic and has the most iron contamination (it is used in the most speckled reduction firing bodies). A2, the second one down, is a ball clay (similar to commercial products, although darker burning), it is very refractory and the base for Plainsman Fireclay. A3, third from top, is a complete buff high-temperature stoneware (like H550), although sandy and over-mature at cone 10. 3B, third from bottom, is a smooth medium-temperature stoneware; it contains significant natural feldspar (although fired color and particulate contamination are the most variable). The second from the bottom, 3C. fires the whitest and is the most refractory (it is the base for H441G). The bottom one, 3D, the best product in the quarry. Although the least plastic and most silty, it is also very fine particled and the cleanest (consistently free of particulate impurities and sand), it pairs very well with a ball clay to make a cone 6 stoneware.
| Glossary |
Secondary Clay
Clays form by the weathering of rock deposits over long periods. Primary clays are found near the site of alteration. Secondary clays are transported by water and laid down in layers. |
| Glossary |
Clay
What is clay? How is it different than dirt? For ceramics, the answer lies on the microscopic level with the particle shape, size and how the surfaces interact with water. |
| Glossary |
Plainsman Clays
A clay mining and processing company in Southern Alberta since 1965. |
| Materials |
A1 Ball Clay
It is very high in iron stone (pyrite) concretions and soluble iron salts, a heavily stained bentonitic ball clay. |
| Materials |
A2 Ball Clay
A refractory ball clay with pyritic iron impurities. |
| Materials |
A3 Stoneware Clay
A buff burning, high temperature somewhat sandy stoneware having ready-to-use plasticity. |
| Materials |
3C White Ball Clay
Lignitic, white burning refractory ball clay |
| Materials |
3B Clay
A fine-grained, tan burning, illitic stoneware with particulate and soluble salt impurities |
| Materials |
3D Clay
Fine particled, clean, silty stoneware clay containing natural feldspar |
| Typecodes |
Plainsman Next Chapter
|
| Projects |
Plainsman 3D, Mother Nature's Porcelain/Stoneware
|
| Projects |
Mother Nature's Porcelain - Plainsman 3B
This Saskatchewan clay contains natural feldspar, quartz and a variety of clay minerals, all blended by nature, to produce a porcelain, that although not white-burning, rivals or exceeds the strength achievable using industrial imported minerals |
| Articles |
How to Find and Test Your Own Native Clays
Some of the key tests needed to really understand what a clay is and what it can be used for can be done with inexpensive equipment and simple procedures. These practical tests can give you a better picture than a data sheet full of numbers. |
![]() PayPal | No tracking, No ads, No paywall, No transient content! Just organized, concise information constantly updated and improved. Was this helpful? Consider supporting me. |
Buy me a coffee and we can talk