The price of ball clay is calculated based on several variables, to a large extent, if it is wholesale and the price must be per ton. For example, the amount of mica and kaolin present in the mixture can considerably affect the final price. Other factors such as the distance between the customer and the provider can also significantly impact the final price. This mineral has one of the most steady price ranges and met absolutely no change in 2022. And the overall difference in the past few years was minuscule compared to other minerals. Even the price change for kaolin, a primary substance present in the ball clay, was noteworthy compared to the ball clay itself. But since ball clay is mined differently and has its own procedure to be followed, the prices are independent of kaolin prices or any other mineral. The wholesalers have always tried to make the prices even more stable to better focus on the market’s demands and be better able to provide this valuable mineral globally. The procedures for mining this mineral is quite the same; the difference, as was mentioned before, is the amount of mica and kaolin present in the mine and the final product. Considering this factor, customers from all over the world have constantly bombarded the sales agents with the technical differences of the various mines.
Ball Clay Powder
Ball clay is one of the rarest minerals found on earth. And very few places are fortunate enough to have a storage of it piled in the mines. This mineral is a necessary component in ceramic industries. It is easily shaped and turns to white or nearly enough when heated. So it is right to name ball clay a very valuable mineral in ceramic industries. The name ball clay was inspired by the way it was mined in the first place in England. The miners would use essential tools that made the clay into irregular cubes approximately 30cm in diameter, although carrying the cubes in the process made the edges soft, and little by little, it took the shape of a sphere, in other words, a ball clay. Ball clay is a sedimentary mineral with natural origins listed in the secondary clay category. It means events such as weathering have moved and altered them from their original place and state. Its natural color can range from pale yellow to stark black due to the presence of other minerals and other elements which were sedimented together. Ballclay as clay is similar to kaolin, and the contrast between their plasticity and heat resistance are their main differences. But the difference is minuscule regarding chemical mixtures and is about the level of silica active in the mix. Regular Ballclays mainly consist of 20 to 80 percent kaolinite, 10 to 25 percent mica, and 6 to 65 percent silica, or in other words, quartz. And there are also other secondary minerals and some phytogenic carbon mixtures found in the Ballclay. And all these qualities have made Ballclay one of the rarest minerals found on the globe. Read more: Types of Foam Sofa
Ball Clay Properties
As was already mentioned, this type of clay mainly consists of three main substances, which can be analyzed as 20 to 80 percent kaolin, 10 to 25 percent mica, and 6 to 65 percent quartz. Furthermore, other minerals and carbon compositions can also be found in the mixture. The diversity in both chemical combinations and size of the clays have caused various properties for this mineral. Some of the more common properties of ball clay are as listed below:
- High quality and flexibility
- Strong fireproof
- Highly composed rheological characteristics
- Composed organic material content
- Composed left-over
- High functionality
Ball clay is fined sparingly, which is mainly decreasing clay size. Over two-thirds of it is sold in this state. The procedure helps ball clay be mixed and used easier. Some would also buy the ball clay dry and milled, partial or in bulk, to fine them for cosmetic uses. The dumped materials are not much of a big deal. And the excess leftover would be sold as aggregates in the construction market. These qualities would be higher or lower depending on the mixture order of those three main substances.
Ball Clay Uses
There are a lot of industries enjoying the benefits of ball clay and its uses. So much that listing all of them and talking about them would be overkill. However, some of the boldest uses cannot be ignored.
- Ceramic
Ball clay is used in many industries, as already mentioned, but they are especially counted as a vital necessity in the ceramic industry. Kaolin generates a bright white when alight, but if used individually, it would be fragile and must be mixed with ball clay to attain suitable and flexible raw material. Read more:Use Ceramic Tiles outside Ball clay has a wide range of colors due to its sedimentary origin. But the value of each one is calculated based on its whiteness which is determined by the Fe and other hued acids present in ceramic industries.
- Sanitary equipment
The main body of any ceramic sanitary equipment is consisted of at least 30 percent ball clay.
- Crockery
Ceramic crockeries consist of ball clay due to its whiteness and flexibility.
- Wall and ceiling tiles
Along with feldspar, quartz, talc, kaolin, and silica, ball clay is used as glue due to its high stickiness.
- Fireproof Clay
The high resilience toward extreme temperatures has made ball clay an ideal candidate for use in furnace covers and furniture products.
- Construction Ceramics
Construction materials such as bricks, clay tiles, and landwares all consist of ball clay.
- Electric Insulation
Ball clay is a perfect candidate for high voltage insulations and is used repeatedly. To get a briefing on non-ceramic products, naming the following industries could suffice. Ball clays are used in gardening, agriculture, polymers, glue, rubber, sealants, fertilizers, and insecticides as filler and enhancer. Depending on the industry in need of Ballclay, the experts would determine the most suitable Ballclay with the proper order of mixture to meet customers’ demand as has our company done for all its customers through the years.
0
0