Petrographic study of coarse-grained inclusions in clay raw materials

Abstract

Abstract The article presents the results of standard assessment of coarse-grained inclusions of low-melting clay raw materials taken from four fields. It is shown that such an assessment of coarse-grained inclusions does not give a complete picture of their properties and grain size composition. Further detailed studies of coarse-grained inclusions are performed by microscopic and petrographic methods. The microscopic method was applied when each fraction of inclusions was investigated in the transmitted and reflected light while using a lens of 8x and at an ocular of 9x, field of view diameter being 2.4 mm. The following characteristics of inclusions were defined: size, color, gloss, porosity (pore configuration, their size, quantity and character).The researchers paid special attention to the study of field of view of different fractions, determining clay raw materials stability of properties and causing defects formation. The difference of carbonate inclusions for the clays under study was determined. The type of coarse-grained inclusions, their structure and size can affect the quality of ceramic materials and should be taken into account in production technology. The obtained results will allow predicting the quality of ceramic materials from the investigated clays.