Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-11-09
Kaolin Soon be Great Industry

Kaolin Soon be Great Industry.
Kaolin-a derivation of the Chi
alese word Kao-ling meaning a high
ridge.
How many people in Augusta know
what kaolin is composed of, where
the bulk of it comes from, or what
it is?
And further, how many Augusta
folks know that the Kaolin mines of
Aiken and Richmond counties are
the greatest in the world?
Yes, it is fact that what promises
to become one of the truly big indus
tries of the world is right at Angus
,ta's door.
Some interesting facts about kao-
lin were divulged by John D. Twiggs
at the weekly Rotary meeting Tues
day. Here are some of them
There is enough kaolin in Aiken
and Richmond counties to supply the
entire world hundred years.
The finest grade of kaolin in the
world is found in Aiken and Rich
mond counties.
The kaolin in these counties con-
tain from 3S to "A per cent of alu-
minun.
Fortunes have been made in the
mining of kaolin.
Seventy per cent of the kaolin
mined in Aiken and Richmond coun-
ties is used in making paper.
The other 80 per cent is used in
pottery, paint, drugs, automobile
tires, shoe polish, cosmetics, etc.
The revelations of Mr.. Twiggs in
h;s talk Tuesday were positively
amazing, not a member of the Rotary
Club, much less the public at large,
being informed as to the quantity
and value of kaolin in this section.
Plan co Extract the Aluminium
From Kaolin.
Experiments are now being made
whereby the aluminium in kaolin may
be extracted, and this accomplish
ment alone will no doubt revolution
ize the industry.
Mr.. Twiggs pointed out that the
Aaolin in this section is pure white
when mined. 1t is shipped away in
some instances in bulk and in sacks
while in some cases the local mines
pulverize the kaolin before shipment
is made. Kaolin, which is nothing
more than a white clay substance, can
be pulverized finer than wheat -four.
BY this process about 25 per cent of
the clay is lost in the form of a mist
substance passing into the air.
About 100000 tons of kaolin are
consumed in the United States each
year, Mr.. Twiggs told the Rotarians.
About so per cent of this is mined
In the United States, the bulk of it
coming from mines in Georgia and
the Carolinas. There are several
mines south of Columbia and others
around Macon. In Aiken and Rich
mond counties there are six mines.
The kaoiin as shipped from this Sec
tion is of the crude variety, while
that in middle Georgia is of the wash
type, which means that it must be
washed to remove the. grit that is i'm
bedded in it.
North Carolina Pottery is Worth
Millions.
In North Carolina the kaolin is
used entirely for pottery. From this
is made the rough types of earthen-
ware as well as the finest grades of
china. The value of china products
for 1913 was SOS, 100000, about sour
times that of 1908.
The bulk of the kaolin that is ship
ped into this country comes from
England, according to Mr.. Twiggs,
and is found in Japan, China, France
and Germany. On this country kaolin
is found in Pennsylvania, Florida,
Georgia and the two Carolinas.
Mr.. Twiggs told of a pottery es-
tablishment on the edge of Aiken
and Edgefeld counties by his great
grandfather prior to the civil war; He
said this pottery was made to pay at
one time, but the business was bank
rupted by the war between the states.
After the war the mines were bought
up by Mr.. McNamee, who operated