PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING CLAY

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 Procedures for Processing Clay

   

                                                                    Fig: Processed clay

    Processing clay involves several steps to transform the raw clay material into a usable form. The specific procedures may vary depending on the intended use of the clay, but here is a general outline of the clay processing process:

Clay Collection: Clay is typically obtained from natural deposits, such as clay pits, mines, or riverbanks. It is important to choose a clay source that is free from contaminants and suitable for the desired purpose.

Clay Preparation: The collected clay is usually in a raw or impure form, containing rocks, organic matter, and other impurities. The clay needs to be cleaned and prepared before further processing. The following steps are involved in clay preparation:

a. Weathering: If the clay is particularly hard or contains large particles, it can be left exposed to the elements for natural weathering. Rain and sunlight help to break down the clay into smaller particles.

b. Crushing and Slaking: The clay is then crushed and ground into a fine powder to break up any lumps and improve its consistency. This can be done using manual methods or mechanical equipment like crushers and mills. The clay is then soaked in a water-locked pit or a     large container for it to have a slurry consistency before sieving.

c. Sieving: The clay may be passed through sieves or screens of different mesh sizes to remove any earthly impurities or larger particles.

d. Water Soaking: In some cases, the clay could be emptied into a clay-bat or it’s been poured onto a laid wrapper for it to dewater itself. The clay settles at the bottom while lighter impurities can be skimmed off the top.

The Clay Bat helps dewater the sieved clay faster than when emptied on a wrapper In ceramic industries clay can be processed and used to work in a space of one or two days, because the can be forced to dry with a …… machine

And lastly after all this step are accomplished your clay is ready for you to work with it or if not wrap in a nylon (it helps keep the clay in a workable consistency). 

I'll be posting the different step-by-step methods of working with clay in my next post, please do well to follow my blog so you don’t miss out. Thanks!!!


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