Types of clay in nature. Buy clay, leveling soil with delivery at a low price

Pigments are inorganic compounds that color clay and glazes. Pigments can be divided into two groups: oxides and colorants. Oxides are a naturally occurring basic material that forms among the rocks of the earth's crust, is purified and atomized. The most commonly used are: copper oxide, which takes on a green color in the oxidizing firing environment; cobalt oxide, which produces blue tones; iron oxide, which gives blue tones when mixed with glaze, and earth tones when mixed with clay. Chromium oxide gives the clay an olive green color, magnesium oxide gives it brown and purple tones, and nickel oxide gives it a grayish-green color. All these oxides can be mixed with clay in a proportion of 0.5-6%. If their percentage is exceeded, the oxide will act as a flux.pressing the melting temperature of clay. When painting products, the temperature should not exceed 1020 ° C, otherwise firing will not produce results. The second group is dyes. They are obtained industrially or by mechanical processing of natural materials, which represent a full range of colors. Dyes are mixed with clay in a proportion of 5-20%, which determines the light or dark tone of the material. All specialized stores have an assortment of pigments and dyes for both clay and engobes.

Preparing ceramic mass requires a lot of attention. It can be composed in two ways, which give completely different results. A more logical and reliable way: add dyes under pressure. A simpler and, of course, less reliable method: mix dyes into the clay by hand. The second method is used if there is no exact idea about the final coloring results or there is a need to repeat certain colors.

materials used:

Dolors Ross. Ceramics: technique. Techniques. Products./Trans. with him. Yu.O. Bem. - M.: AST-PRESS KNIGA, 2003.

Hi all!

You've probably seen that there are now a lot of jars and bags of cosmetic and medicinal clay on sale.

It is sold in stores, pharmacies, and specialized cosmetic stores.

What kind of clay is this and what healing effect can our skin get from interacting with it?

Let's figure out how cosmetic clay is useful for the face and body and consider all its types and properties ☺

From this article you will learn:

Cosmetic clay for face and body - properties and application

Clay is a polymer rock of volcanic origin, consisting of various minerals.

Cosmetic clay is a natural product that contains all the nutrients that our skin needs.

It contains mineral salts and very important trace elements:

phosphorus,
potassium,
sulfur
iron,
magnesium,
calcium,
manganese,
cobalt,
copper,
nickel,
zinc,
vanadium,
silicon and many others.

Today it has been scientifically proven that with the help of clay you can not only cleanse the body of toxins (natural cosmetics are an environmentally friendly adsorbent), but also harmonize the human biofield by returning magnetic-electric balance to the cells

How does clay affect the face and body?

Clay can improve the condition of your body's skin:

Clear,
Remove excess fat
Reduce sweating
Relieve irritation and itching,
Fill with trace elements and mineral salts

The main thing is to know and choose the right type of cosmetic clay that best suits your skin type.

Types of cosmetic clay for face and body

Clay occurs in nature in a variety of colors:

white,
green,
yellow,
red,
blue,
gray and even black.

It is by color that one can determine the mineral composition of clay, which in turn depends on the place of its origin.

Each type of clay has its own specific qualities, so it can be used in medicine and cosmetology for a variety of purposes.

White cosmetic clay or Kaolin

What does it look like and what properties does it have?

White clay or Kaolin is a homogeneous white powder that has a yellow or grayish tint and is slightly greasy to the touch.

This is the most versatile and popular type of cosmetic clay.

It is ideal for treating, cleansing, nourishing, rejuvenating and restoring the skin.

This is one of the best scrubs that can gently exfoliate dead epidermal cells.

What skin type is it suitable for?

This clay is great for caring for oily, combination or inflamed facial skin.

It perfectly dries, cleanses, tightens the skin, eliminates excess fat, tightens pores well and gives a slight whitening effect.

Blue cosmetic clay or Bentonite

What properties does it have?

Many people know the anti-inflammatory properties of blue clay.

It contains all the mineral salts and trace elements necessary for the skin.

Prevents the appearance of acne, heals wounds and evens out facial skin, smoothing out facial wrinkles and evening out the skin.

It also has a slight whitening effect that can lighten freckles and age spots.

What skin is it suitable for?

Great for oily and problematic skin.

In addition, blue clay is used in folk medicine as a very effective remedy against baldness. To do this, it is diluted in a small amount of warm water and applied to the scalp, rubbing into the hair roots for 15 minutes, 3 times a week.

Green cosmetic clay

It has the widest application in cosmetology.

Thanks to iron oxide, this type of cosmetic clay has a rich dark green color.

This clay has powerful cleansing properties, increases blood circulation in the skin, thereby increasing its elasticity (turgor).

How is it used and what skin type is it suitable for?

This type of clay is medicinal and can be used for some skin diseases (dermatitis, problem skin)

This clay perfectly restores the skin's hydrobalance, absorbs harmful components, and also perfectly softens and cleanses the pores of the face, eliminating oily shine.

Green cosmetic clay serves as the basis for cosmetics and is effectively used in the form of masks, wraps and various compresses.

Green clay can be mixed with any other type of cosmetic clay.

Red cosmetic clay

Red clay gets its color from a combination of iron oxide and copper.

What properties does red clay have?

Due to the fact that its energetic properties are warm, it is best to apply it to the skin in the winter season.

It tightens aging and flabby skin well, improves blood circulation, and helps to increase the saturation of the facial skin with oxygen.

It is great for sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions (irritation, itching, peeling).

You can read more about red clay in this

Pink cosmetic clay

Pink cosmetic clay is formed by mixing white and red clay.

What properties does pink clay have and what skin type is it suitable for?

It perfectly smooths out small wrinkles and tightens the facial contour.

Gently combats dry and irritated skin.

It relieves fatigue well, increases skin tone and elasticity.

This clay is ideal for any skin type.

Yellow cosmetic clay

What properties does it have?

This clay relieves inflammation, improves complexion, tones and saturates the skin with oxygen.

Easily softens dead skin (especially on the elbows and legs and easily heals small cracks)

It also eliminates unpleasant odor and excessive sweating of the feet.

What skin type is it suitable for?

It is very rich in iron and potassium and is ideal for caring for oily, combination, aging and dull skin.

Black cosmetic clay

Black clay contains strontium, quartz, iron, magnesium and calcium.

It is worth noting that black clay is capable of burning fat deposits and can be effectively used for anti-cellulite wraps, improving blood circulation and lymph flow.

It cleanses the skin very well.

This type of clay can perfectly absorb all harmful toxins and impurities from the skin. Helps tighten facial pores.

Suitable for normal, oily and combination skin.

Gray cosmetic clay

This type of clay is mined from the very depths of the seas.

Due to its moisturizing and toning properties, it is used for dehydrated, dry skin of the face and body.

How to apply cosmetic clay correctly?

Cosmetic clay is one of those cosmetic products that can be used in a wide variety of ways:

scrub masks,
compresses,
wraps,
applications,
massage.

Compress or wrap with clay

Clay powder must be diluted with infusion of medicinal herbs or water (milk) to the consistency of sour cream and applied to cleansed skin of the face and body.

For the wrapping procedure, you need to wrap yourself in cling film and wrap yourself in a warm blanket for 1 hour.

Clay baths for the body

To take a bath with clay, you just need to dissolve the cosmetic clay powder in water or herbal decoction, pour it into the bath and take it for 20-30 minutes (4-5 tbsp per bath)

Mask-Scrub made from cosmetic clay

It is very useful to make a mask from cosmetic clay once a week.

It not only evens out the surface of the skin, but also restores its color and normalizes blood circulation.

To do this, a small amount of powder is diluted with water or herbal infusion to form sour cream and applied to the facial skin along massage lines.

Massage with clay

It is useful to use some types of cosmetic clay.

To do this, add it in a small amount to body massage oil, perform a massage, and then wash it off under a contrast shower.

Cosmetic clay for the face - basic rules of use

Let's remember a few basic rules for using cosmetic clay:

Regularity of use (2-3 times a week).
Clay must be applied to a clean face or body after a shower.
It is necessary to wash off the clay by taking a contrast shower.
The first few procedures may be accompanied by a deterioration in the condition of the body’s skin and hair, due to the release of harmful components from the body.

How to make cosmetic face masks with clay?

So, the rules for making clay masks:

The base of any cosmetic clay mask consists of 0.5 tbsp of cosmetic clay and 0.5 tbsp of water or herbal infusion.
The mixture is applied to cleansed facial skin for 15-20 minutes. Wash off first with warm water and then with cold water.
If you have irritated skin, add 0.5 tsp of apple cider vinegar to the base of the mask.
If you need to moisturize your facial skin, add to the clay base in equal proportions: sour cream, milk, heavy cream, fruit pulp (watermelon, grapes, peach), vegetable oils (grape seed, jojoba), mineral water, aloe juice, egg yolk, 1-2 drops of essential oils.
For dry skin, you can add to the base: cottage cheese, protein, yogurt, yogurt.
For oily skin, it is good to add honey, lemon juice to clay in a 1:1 ratio.

Features of using cosmetic clay

It should be remembered that the darker the color of the clay, the better it will remove fat and effectively deal with acne (except rosacea).

For example, black cosmetic clay can completely eliminate acne, leaving your skin healthy and very clean!

Do not forget that clay, like any other component, can cause allergic reactions.

Where to buy high-quality cosmetic clay?

Real high-quality clay cannot be cheap.

You should not buy clay for cosmetic purposes for 15-20 rubles, it is of a very low degree of purification and may contain harmful salts of heavy metals, as well as sand, stones and can injure the skin when applied.

This one suits me very well French 100% green clay, this jar lasts me for six months. I make masks once a week and I really like how it “polishes” and evens out the skin.

I hope my post will help you make the right choice in the variety of cosmetic clays and appreciate its magical effect on our skin.

Use this wonderful natural remedy, tell your friends on social networks... Let your face be decorated with a healthy glow and smile, and not nasty pimples or wrinkles ☺

Alena Yasneva was with you, see you again!

Clay is a sedimentary rock that has a fine-grained structure. This is a very interesting type of rock in its properties, because in a dry state it is crumbly and looks like dust, but when moistened it is soft and plastic, capable of taking any given shape. When it hardens after moistening, the clay becomes surprisingly strong and durable.

Clay is a sedimentary rock, which is a secondary product of the earth's crust, which was formed as a result of the destruction of rocks through weathering.

The most important source for the formation of clay is feldspar, which, during the process of decomposition under the influence of precipitation, forms kaolinite and other clay components.

Minerals in clays

Clay contains one or more minerals from the group of kaolinite, montmorillonite, or other layered clay minerals. Clay may also contain carbonate and sand particles.

Depending on the quantity and quality of the minerals that make up the clay, this mineral can be of a variety of colors and shades - light yellow, orange, reddish brown, gray, white and many others.

Different types of clay contain the following minerals:

kaolinite
andalusite
montmorillonite
halloysite
muscovite
hydrargillite
nacrite
diaspora
pyrophyllite
corundum
monothermite

There are also some types of minerals that contaminate clays. Among them are the following:

quartz
calcium
dolomite
glauconite
limonite
magnetite
marcosite
rutile
pyrite
serpentine
siderite

Bentonite clay contains montmorillonite

Properties of clay

Among the main characteristic properties of clay are the following:

High level of ductility
Ability to take any given shape
Fireproof properties
Air and thermal shrinkability
Excellent sinterability
Viscosity of clays of various grades
Degree of shrinkage
Clay porosity
Swelling of clays
Density
Waterproof

Types of clay

There are several types of clays, including the following:

Kaolin- this is the name of the famous white clay, which is used to produce beautiful porcelain and fireproof products.
Construction clay— used for preparing solutions that are used in the process of constructing structures for various purposes.
Shale- used in the cement production process.
Fire-clay- Suitable for the manufacture of refractory bricks and other heat-resistant products.
Bentonite— when immersed in water, it increases in volume several times; it is used in drilling fluids in the process of drilling wells.
Smectite- has bleaching and filtering properties. Filters made from cloth clay are widely used to remove impurities from petroleum products, as well as various types of oils - both edible and technical.
Pottery(lump) clay is used in the process of making pottery.
- used as a medicinal and cosmetic product for applying masks to the face and body.
Sandstone clay- used for making dishes, decorative ceramics and souvenirs.

Kaolin - white clay

Scope of application of clay

After combining with the right amount of water, clay is able to form a dough-like mass with plastic properties. Depending on the location of the deposit of this natural raw material, clay is characterized by different quality indicators. Therefore, it is used for various purposes. Among the areas of application of various types of clay are the following:

Ceramics production- one of the most important areas of application of clay. Various varieties of this natural material are used to make excellent examples of ceramic tableware, earthenware, etc. The art of pottery dates back several thousand years, and continues to improve today.

Manufacturing of building materials— clay is widely used in production. Today, the vast majority of brick products are produced in factories, but there is also an artisanal method of hand-molding bricks, which is successfully used in some regions.

Cement production— a mixture of clay (25%) and limestone (75%) is used to make cement. During the production process, the raw materials are carefully crushed and then thoroughly mixed. In this case, a strict dosage of components must be observed, otherwise the result will be of poor quality.

Technical ceramics represents a fairly extensive group of special ceramic products made from a plastic mass, the basis of which is clay. for technical purposes is widely used in various areas of human life and activity - in the form of sanitary ceramics, as insulators of electric current in devices and wiring, and in many other areas.

adobe construction— adobe buildings are architectural structures, the main material for the construction of which is clay. Mud houses are one of the first examples of ancient architecture. However, the methods of using clay may be different. Thus, the clay mass can be compacted into a mold made of wooden planks, or the clay can be mixed with crushed straw and the board base can be covered with this mixture.

Medicine and cosmetology— Clay has long been widely used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Clay is included in some medicinal ointments, as well as sorbents and preparations for getting rid of diarrhea. And in cosmetology, clay is used to make masks for the face and body, and also includes it in some creams.

Edible clay- Some types of clay are edible and are eaten. Edible clay is a special additive to the basic human diet and is a valuable source of mineral salts and trace elements. Edible clay serves as a sorbent of natural origin, which helps cleanse the human body of slag deposits and harmful toxins. At the same time, clay has an enveloping effect and can be used as a natural antiseptic.

Natural clay is a sedimentary rock. When dry, it appears as lumps or dust, which when wet acquire plastic properties. This fossil is formed under the influence of natural forces during the destruction of rocky massifs.

The main material of clay layers is fossils, such as feldspar. The prevalence of clay and its easy availability allow this material to be used everywhere. Clay materials are rocks that represent sediment from water currents that accumulate at the bottom of reservoirs.

Typical composition

For centuries, clay has rightfully been the most common and popular material in construction. Natural clay is formed due to the fact that the clayey rocks of the earth are splitting naturally, as well as due to the assistance of mechanical influences.

The material has a variable structure, so the composition of the clay is varied. It is a complex mixture of particles of water, aluminum and silicon. Water in clay can play a binding role; it is in a chemically bound state between the interlayer particles. Rock without impurities is a mass with a minimum particle diameter. This material is very plastic.

Clay contains impurities of the following substances: quartz, magnesium oxide, iron sulfide, and so on. Based on their mineral composition, the following clayey materials can be distinguished:

kaolin;
halloysite;
illite;
montmorillonite

Raw materials are named based on how the clay material will be used. An important characteristic of the material is the percentage of impurities (for example, the content of quartz sand). The fire resistance of clay is determined by the percentage of alumina.

Kinds

The above properties, undoubtedly, cannot be inherent in all types of clay at the same time. The most valuable types of natural building materials are:

fireproof;
kaolin;
brick;
acid-resistant;
cement;
bentonite.

The first two types of material are one of the main types of raw materials for the production of porcelain. At the same time, refractory clay can be used for the manufacture of a wide range of refractory products.

Molding clay is characterized by unique binding properties and is also fire-resistant. Therefore, the use of this variety is absolutely justified in the production of casting molds.

As for acid-resistant clays, they include magnesium, calcium, and iron. Earthenware is mainly made from this material.

An excellent building material is obtained from cement and brick clays. Filtration of petroleum products is carried out through the use of bentonite clay, which, by the way, swells greatly when in contact with water.

In production, clay is distinguished with a high content of quartz sand (an impurity predominant in clay) and with a low content. The first is called “skinny”, and the second is called “fat”.

Properties of clay

Clay is a universal natural material. Diverse in composition and physical properties, it is used everywhere for the production of household items and building materials, among which it is considered in its pure form.

The properties of clay directly depend on its composition. So, it can behave differently when it comes into contact with water. In some cases, when the material is mixed with water, a dough-like mass is formed. In other cases, the result of this procedure is the formation of a suspension. In the first case, the clay has unique properties and can take any shape and retain it when dried.

The prevalence of clay and its easy availability allow this material to be used everywhere. At the same time, due to the impracticality of transporting heavy material over long distances, production complexes are located directly in the area of clay deposits.

Color

Multi-colored clay is a material that contains oxides of metal elements or pigments, and is a homogeneous mixture:

Natural pigments give clay a particular shade; they are divided into two categories: oxides of metal elements and coloring substances themselves.
During the firing process, red clay turns red or white, depending on the process conditions and the type of firing equipment. This variety can withstand heating up to 1100 degrees.
Low-melting majolica clay, black. After firing, the mass resembles ivory products in color. Thanks to the use of glaze, products made from raw materials become unusually durable and have high water resistance.
To give the material a blue color, oxygen-containing cobalt compounds are used. Chromium compounds provide the color of olives, while magnesium and nickel compounds provide brown and gray, respectively.
Coloring components are added to raw materials in amounts from 1 to 5%. Higher pigment contents may cause undesirable effects during the firing process.

Plastic

When drying, the clay will retain the shape that it was given, but will decrease in size. When fired, it will become hard like stone. It is often used in the manufacture of dishes and other kitchen utensils. Bricks are often made from baked clay; they have fairly good strength against mechanical damage.

Clay has binding ability as well as good adhesiveness. When the clay has absorbed enough water, it will no longer let it through, that is, it will become waterproof.

The material has high covering power. This property determines the use of the material as a whitewash for the walls of houses and stoves.

Hygroscopicity

The raw material is not waterproof; when it gets into water, it begins to get soggy, splits into parts, and a porridge-like mass is formed.

It can absorb compounds dissolved in an aqueous environment (sorption capacity). This property determines the use of the material for the purification of petroleum products, syrups, juices, and vegetable fats.

Fire resistance

Fire clay has good strength. Clay in its raw form can take on all sorts of configurations. These types of clays are called "fat" clays because they feel greasy when touched. But clays that are less plastic are called “lean”. A brick made from such clay will be very crumbly and fragile.

Useful and healing properties of clay

Undoubtedly, clay has a positive effect on the human body. Each type of clay affects the body differently due to its different chemical composition.

Clay, which is a natural material, has a beneficial effect for the reason that, in fact, it is a sedimentary rock that was formed as a result of the destruction of rocks and for a long time absorbed all kinds of microelements.

Of all the varieties, Cambrian blue clay is considered the most ancient. Since ancient times, people have quite successfully used its healing properties in medicine. This clay owes its name to the period in history during which it was formed.

Other clay materials are considered secondary. They are formed as a result of the destruction of rocks by water flows. For the most part, secondary varieties contain silicate particles.

One of the main reasons why clay is used for medicinal purposes is its ability to retain heat. For this reason, clay is so common in heat therapy. In most cases, before using clay, it is brought to the consistency of sour cream, diluted with water.

The amount of added water can be used to judge the heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the clay.

White clay

At the moment, there are approximately forty types of clay. White clay or kaolin is the most studied in our time:

This clay is widely used not only in treatment, but also in the manufacture of porcelain products, and is widely used in the chemical industry, perfume making, and the like.
White clay has enveloping and absorbent properties. Therefore, it is actually used in the treatment of burns, diaper rash, ulcers and other skin diseases.
This variety has not only external uses, but also internal ones. It is taken orally for problems with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as for poisoning. This clay is cooled and applied to bruises or dislocations on the body.
Popular clay compresses are often used. People simply sprinkle clay on wounds and damage. It can also be used as baby powder. But, despite all the beneficial properties of white clay, its blue counterpart is more popular among people. Because, according to the majority, it is the most plastic and has the highest heat capacity.

Scope of application

The most common area of application for clay is the production of porcelain and building materials. The most important stage in the production of clay objects is their firing. So, upon completion of this procedure, the item acquires strength and moisture resistance. A building material made from clay has amazing resistance to mechanical stress.

No less important is the covering power of clay, as well as its coloring properties. In nature, clays come in a wide variety of colors. White, for example, is great for whitewashing surfaces, and colored for painting them.

Some types of clay are suitable for filtering petroleum products as well as vegetable oils. This property of the material lies in its sorption ability.

Place of Birth

Clay is ubiquitous, this is natural, since it belongs to sedimentary rocks, and is, in fact, rocks crushed to a powdery state.

Mining sites are often located along the banks of water bodies. Outcrops are numerous, but not all deposits are suitable for industrial production.

The most famous deposits are Kashtymskoye, Astafievskoye, Palevskoye. It is worth noting that refractory and kaolin clays are much less common. Often, refractory varieties are adjacent to fire-resistant varieties.

Currently, clay is mined by quarrying. Clay pits can be of varying depths. Often different types of clays can be produced in one quarry.

/ Rock Clay

Clay is a rock, when dry it is like dust, but when wet it becomes plastic, soft, such that it can be sculpted, that is, given the desired shape. Clay comes in different colors such as red, blue, green, brown, but in most cases it is still gray.

The properties of clay are that it is plastic, fireproof, and waterproof. In many remote corners of our earth, unbaked clay is still used in the construction of their homes. Nowadays, there are many different uses for clay, for example:

Pottery production today consists mainly of bricks, tiles with various designs, pottery, and toys. A person working with such clay is called a potter. After the product has been given the desired shape, it needs to be painted, then the product is fired in a special oven. Clay is also part of cement, since cement is limestone + clay.

Clay is also widely used in medicine. Mud baths are very good for various diseases. Clay is added to various ointments. Clay might seem like dirt, but it is a valuable product that humanity really needs.

Clay- fine-grained sedimentary rock, lumpy or dusty in a dry state and acquiring plasticity or becoming limp when moistened.

Clay composition

Clay consists of one or more clay minerals - illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, chlorite, halloysite, or other layered aluminosilicates, but may also contain sand and carbonate particles as impurities. Alumina (Al2O3) and silica (SiO2) form the basis of the composition of clay-forming minerals.

The diameter of particles in clay is less than 0.005 mm; rocks consisting of larger particles are usually classified as silt. The color is varied and is mainly due to the impurities of mineral chromophores or organic compounds that color them. Pure clay is mostly gray or white, but clay in red, yellow, brown, blue, green, purple and black is also common.

Origin

Clay is a secondary product formed as a result of the destruction of rocks during the weathering process. The main source of clay formations are feldspars, the destruction of which under the influence of atmospheric agents forms silicates of the group of clay minerals. Some clays are formed by the local accumulation of these minerals, but most are sediments from water flows that accumulate at the bottom of lakes and seas.

In general, based on origin and composition, the breed is divided into:
Sedimentary clays, formed as a result of the transfer to another place and deposition there of clayey and other products of the weathering crust. Based on their origin, sedimentary clays are divided into marine clays, deposited on the seabed, and continental clays, formed on the mainland.

Among the marine ones there are:
Coastal marine clay - is formed in coastal zones (turbulence zones) of seas, open bays, and river deltas. They are often characterized by unsorted material. They quickly change into sandy and coarse-grained varieties. Replaced by sandy and carbonate deposits along the strike. Such clays are usually interbedded with sandstones, siltstones, coal seams and carbonate rocks.

Lagoon clay - is formed in sea lagoons, semi-enclosed with a high concentration of salts or desalinated. In the first case, the clays are heterogeneous in granulometric composition, insufficiently sorted and wind together with gypsum or salts. Clays from desalinated lagoons are usually finely dispersed, thin-layered, and contain inclusions of calcite, siderite, iron sulfides, etc. Among them there are fire-resistant varieties.

Shelf clay - forms at a depth of up to 200 m in the absence of currents. They are characterized by a uniform granulometric composition and large thickness (up to 100 m or more). Distributed over a large area.

Among the continental ones there are:
Deluvial clay - characterized by a mixed granulometric composition, its sharp variability and irregular layering (sometimes absent).

Lake clay, mostly with a uniform granulometric composition and finely dispersed. All clay minerals are present in such rocks, but kaolinite and hydromicas, as well as minerals of hydrous oxides of Fe and Al, predominate in the clays of fresh lakes, and minerals of the montmorillonite group and carbonates predominate in the clays of salt lakes. Lake clays include the best varieties of fire-resistant clays.

Proluvial, formed by temporary flows. Characterized by very poor sorting.
River - developed in river terraces, especially in the floodplain. Usually poorly sorted. They quickly turn into sands and pebbles, most often non-layered.

Residual clays - resulting from the weathering of various rocks on land, and in the sea as a result of changes in lavas, their ashes and tuffs. Down the section, residual clays gradually transform into parent rocks. The granulometric composition of the residual clay is variable - from fine-grained varieties in the upper part of the deposit to uneven-grained ones in the lower part.

Residual clays formed from acidic massive rocks are not plastic or have little plasticity; Clays formed during the destruction of sedimentary clay rocks are more plastic. Continental residual clays include kaolins and other eluvial clays. In Russia, in addition to modern ones, ancient residual clays are widespread - in the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia (there are also many of them in Ukraine) - which are of great practical importance. In the mentioned areas, mainly montmorillonite, nontronite and other clays appear on basic rocks, and on medium and acidic rocks - kaolins and hydromica clays. Marine residual clays form a group of bleaching clays composed of minerals of the montmorillonite group.

Practical uses of clay

Clays are widely used in industry (in the production of ceramic tiles, refractories, fine ceramics, porcelain-faience and sanitary wares), construction (production of brick, expanded clay and other building materials), for household needs, in cosmetics and as a material for artistic works (modeling ). Expanded clay gravel and sand produced from expanded clay by annealing with swelling are widely used in the production of building materials (expanded clay concrete, expanded clay concrete blocks, wall panels, etc.) and as a heat and sound insulating material. This is a lightweight porous building material obtained by firing low-melting clay.

This clay has the shape of oval granules. It is also produced in the form of sand - expanded clay sand. Depending on the clay processing mode, expanded clay of different bulk density (volume weight) is obtained - from 200 to 400 kg/m3 and higher. Expanded clay has high heat and noise insulation properties and is used primarily as a porous filler for lightweight concrete, which has no serious alternative. Expanded clay concrete walls are durable, have high sanitary and hygienic characteristics, and expanded clay concrete structures built more than 50 years ago are still in use today. Housing built from prefabricated expanded clay concrete is cheap, high quality and affordable. The largest producer of expanded clay is Russia.

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