Uses of clays

Abstract

Clay minerals have been extracted from their natural environment, as a primary raw material, for most of man’s civilized existence. In past centuries clays were used for their properties in producing building materials and ceramics. In this century, clays have become an important part of industrial technology, taking many roles in manufacturing processes, and are major constituents in products such as plastics and foodstuffs. These uses depend upon the special properties of the clay particles. Their chemical properties (internal and external surfaces) are used in many ways, as are their grain size and shape properties.