Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-10-01
THE CERAMIC INDUSTRY
IN GEORGIA
Address Delivered at Press Conven-
ton Meeting in West Point
by A. v. Henry

Georgia has always been classified
as an agricultural state and will in
all probability be long so regarded.
However, any community, whether it
be large or small, must be industrially
diversified to be continuously pros
porous. Within recent years, our
state has come to recognize the po-
tential possibilities in developing our
mineral resources, especially those of
a ceramic character.
Extending diagonally across the
state in found an area 220 miles
long and 40 to so wide, in which are
found our distinctive clays, the sedi-
mentary kaolins. This area has as
it's northern boundary line known
as the Fall Line reaching from Angus
ia to Columbus. There are twenty
four counties lying wholly or in part
in this belt and are known to contain
kaofin.
While over one-half of the white
burning clays used in this country
are being supplied from this section.
the fact shoulr be appreciated that
much must still be done, not only in
locating additional and possibly bet
ter deposits but also to bring out the
best in those deposits now being
mined.
Clays, like many other minerals,
do not have real value as found in
the earth. To have value, clays must
be in commercial quantities and To-
Gated in easily accessible places.
compounds and do vary markedly
Since clays are not definite chemical
they must be classified and adapted
for the different wares to be pro-
duced. Only for the heavy clay prod
ucts, such as building brick, drain tile
and sewer pipe, do we find clays in
nature, in a condition for immediate
use in the ceramic industry. Most
often they must be properly select
ed, refined and blended. Having a
clay that is suited to manufacture, it
must be blended with other materials,
formed into the ware desired and
burned to make permanent.
The value of a clay, therefore, is
based primarily upon the knowledge
and skill used in it's preparation and
the knowledge, skill an expense in
combining it with other materials and
thus Transforming the earthly mix
ture into commercial product. It
should be emphasized that ceramic
development depends largely upon
control and so technically trained
men are essential.
From thestnadpoint of the market
for the products, what are the ce-
manic wares for which our clays are
most suited? These are probably
in the order given, refractories, white
face brick, floor and wall tile, cleo
trical porcelain, sanitary ware, pot
terry and tableware.
Most of our hard kaolins and
bauxitic clays are ideal for the manu-
facture of refractories. Here con-
troll, modern equipment and an edu-
cational program to bring the product
to the attention of the consumer, are
most important. The metallurgical
in the large user of high grade re-
fractories such as can be made from
our clays.
A plant for the manufacture of
whiteface brick has ben completed at
Gordon, Georgia, at a cost of $780,
900 and is, without a doubt, one of
the most modern in the country.
Heretofore, all of the light buff brick
use in the South have been obtained
from the North. Not only have we
been losing an important industry
but have also had to pay very high
prices for such brick. The freight
alone amounts to about $40 a thous-
and to central Georgia. Now much
of this cost will be eliminated.
For the white wares, such as floor
and wall tile, electrical porcelain and
sanitary ware, well refined clay,
with definite characteristics, IS nee
essary. Most of our clay-washing
plants are now producing material
far the paper, rubber and oil cloth
trade, less attention has been given
to ceramic requirements. However,
lit is interesting note the awakening
enthusiasm that our clays are arous-
ing in ceramic circles. We have long
criticized the slowness of the meth
DDS employed by the Europeans in
clay refining. At the same time we