Harrow and Hillingdon Geological Society
Kaolin Resources of China
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The speaker was working in China from 1986 to the mid 1990s. The country is rich in minerals such as tin and tungsten and the veins and structures are very similar to those found in Cornwall although they developed in a different geological age. A further similarity is that the region is also associated with gypsum, potash, kaolin and China clay.
Our term “china” was actually chinaware imported from China by Portuguese traders. It was very durable, impermeable and hygienic.
Porcelain is usually a white vitreous ceramic whose main ingredients are China clay (kaolin) and granite which binds the material at 1250-1300º C. It is highly refractory when mixed with crushed China stone which contains sodium feldspar, quartz, fluorite and lithium mica.
Kaolin deposits are distributed throughout China and have been produced by a hydrothermal process or weathering in situ.
In 1745 China stone and Kaolin were found in Cornwall by William Cookworthy a Quaker priest.
30x 106 tons of rock yields 3 x 106 clay.
In southern China are seven provinces which in area are about 1000x 700 km and are riddled with granite which was formed in the early and late Yanshanian periods about 140-60 millions years ago. These deposits extend to include Korea, NE USSR and Japan.
Porcelain was produced originally BC.