AMERICAN MARAZZI TILE, INC.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

NONMETALLIC MINERAL PROCESSING,

This includes the receipt of the raw materials by truck (shale, clay, nepheline syenite, feldspar, 

talc, and sand) and their storage in one of two raw material storage areas. These materials are 

moved by a front-end loader and loaded into a feed hopper. With the exception of the shale and 

clay, these materials are metered directly out onto a conveyor system that transports the material 

to storage silos. The shale and clay material is processed through a crusher prior to being 

conveyed to a storage silo. From the storage silos, raw materials are transported by conveyors to 

surge hoppers that feed the individual continuous mills. These materials are then metered into a 

continuous ball mill where water is added and then milled to the desired consistency and viscosity 

creating a mud like slurry called "slip." Upon completion of the milling process, the slip is 

pumped in to a concrete slip tank where it is stored before spray drying. This process does not 

have any potential to emit HAPS.

SPRAY DRYING,

The slip is then pumped, at high pressure, into one of three spray dryers (atomizer) through a 

series of nozzles that cause the slip to be sprayed as a fine mist into an enclosed hot air stream that 

dries the slip to a fine powder, with a low moisture content, that is known by two synonymous 

terms "Body Material" or "Prill". This prill material is transported via conveyor systems to the 

prill silos. The spray dryers are fueled by natural gas. The emission of HAPs is not anticipated 

to occur from this process.

TILE BODY STORAGE AND CONVEYING,

The tile body material "prill" is stored in silos until needed in production. When needed the prill 

is fed from the bottom of the storage silos onto to a series of conveyor systems that transports the 

prill to the presses. A diverter is used to channel the body material to the appropriate press surge 

hopper. This process does not have any potential to emit HAPS.

TILE PRESSING,

The prill is gravity fed from the press surge hoppers into the press dies and pressed into 

individual tiles (final shape) of various sizes by means of an automatic hydraulic press. This 

process does not have any potential to emit HAPS.

September 10,2008
American Marazzi Tile, Inc 

Process Description September 

10, 2008

TILE DRYING,

The individual pressed tiles are transported by roller conveyor to either a vertical dryer or a 

horizontal five channel roller dryers to further reduce the moisture content of individual pressed 

tiles. These dried tiles are referred to as "green tile" and this drying process provides the green 

tiles with sufficient strength to undergo glazing and transfer to the kilns. Press dryers are fueled 

by natural gas. The emission of HAPs is not anticipated to occur from this process.

GLAZE PREPARATION,

Glazes and glaze pastes, which are two distinct types of glazing material, are prepared in this 

step. Frits, small amounts of clays, stains and other material are batched and milled until the 

desired consistency and color is achieved. Glaze pastes involve taking sets amount of material 

and mixing them together until the desired paste like consistency and color are achieved. Minor 

amounts of HAP metals may be emitted from this process.

GLAZING,

This manufacturing step consists of the application of thin uniform coats of two distinct types 

of glazing material; glaze and glaze paste to the green tile. Glazes may be applied by means of 

an air spray, bell (waterfall), or rotating disc in a totally enclosed environment. Glaze pastes 

are applied by means of either a static or rotating silkscreen technique. Normally, several 

layers of glazes and glaze pastes are applied to each tile to provide the final decorative surface. 

Minor amounts of HAP metals may be emitted from this process.

FIRING,

This step involves heating of the tiles to vitrify (make glass-like) and fuse (bond) the glaze 

material permanently to the surface of the tile body. The green tiles are fed into a fast fire roller 

kiln and fired according to a predetermined temperature curve that exposes the tiles to a 

maximum temperature of approximately 2,000°F and then cooled rapidly by an indirect cooling 

system. This process results in the formation of an attractive product in which the glazing 

materials and tile body is fused permanently together. Natural gas is used as fuel to heat the 

kilns. Emissions of HAPs (Hydrogen Chloride and Hydrogen Fluoride are emitted during this 

process. The emission of HAP metals are not anticipated to occur from this process.

SELECTION AND PACKAGING,

In this process tile is inspected and graded for conformity to established product quality 

standards. After grading, the tile is boxed and palletized. Pallets of tile are then stored prior to 

sale and shipment to customers. No air emissions are associated with this operating scenario. 

This process does not have any potential to emit HAPS.

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