Mineralogy of Some Ceramic Clays from the Adelaide Area

X-ray diffraction and differential thermal methods were used to determine the mineralogy of some clays used by the heavy clay industry in the Adelaide area. A detailed analysis was made of the mineralogy and particle size distribution of eighteen samples from beds in two pits in the Recent sediments in the Adelaide plains, of six white clays developed from the weathering of the Adelaide series of sediments, and of four Recent alluvial clays from a pit in the Mount Lofty ranges south of Adelaide. Structural clay products in the Adelaide area are manufactured from mixtures of these clays, so the mineralogy and particle size distribution was determined of eighteen clay mixtures used to make red bricks, cream bricks, facing bricks, pipes and tiles.Knowledge of this mineralogy is important in understanding the ceramic behaviour of the clays.INTRODUCTIONIn this investigation an account is given of the clay mineralogy and particle size distribution of some ceramic clays from the Adelaide area. The clays are used in the manufacture of structura,l clay products and the results to 'be described are part of an overall 'plan of study covering the heavy industrial clays and shales of Australia. Previous work has been published (Cole and Carthew, 1953; Ferguson, 1954; Ferguson and Hosking, 1955; Cole and Nielsen, 1958/59).In this work no attempt has been made to examine clays from all pits engaged in supplying materials for the structural clay industry. However, in 1954 the senior author collected detailed samples from two pits working in Recent alluvial clays in the Allenby·Gardens and Beverley areas near...