98

“This is a stoneware clay suitable for the manufacture cf pottery, crocks, jars, teapots, etc. It would require some experimental work to fit the bodies with suitable glazes, but it is probable that the usual Bristol and slip glazes used for stoneware articles would answer.

“Some 3-inch, round, hollow tile, was made on a hand press, and sent to a commercial sewer-pipe plant for a salt-glazing test.

“Salt-Glazing Test. The results of the salt-glaze tests on this clay show that the glaze cannot be successfully applied at cone 3, as that temperature is too low. The body showed no sign of vitrification, being still porous and rather soft.

“Tt would require a temperature in the kiln of at least cone 5, or better, at cone 6, to produce a glaze on this clay. It will then show a glaze equal to number 315, but of lighter colour. The commercial kiln in which the tests were made did not give a higher temperature than cone 3, hence it was impossible to complete the test on this clay...... gO 123

“ Laboratory Nos. 319 and 820, are from the point near which the southerly boundary of the Murphy bituminous-sand claim meets the east shore of the Atha- baska river. Owing to slide and talus, the thickness of the clay would not readily be accurately .determined, but appears to be quite 20 feet. At the points from which the samples were taken the overburden appears to consist of from 10 to 20 feet of low-grade bituminous sand. What appear to be extensions of the same bed reappear along the river at intervals for one-third of a mile to the south of the point where samples were secured.

“Laboratory No. 319. A light grey, highly plastic, and smooth elay, with good working properties. It must be dried slowly, being liable to check if dried too fast. The drying shrinkage is 5-5 per cent.

“The following results were obtained on burning:

Cone Fire shrinkage Absorption Colour Jo Jo 010 0 :. ee salmon 06 ‘0 10 ‘4 03 0°6 8 buff h 1°3! 6 ee 5 2°0 5 grey 172 40 - vitrified ss 17 fused

“This is a typical stoneware clay, suitable for the manufacture of all classes of stoneware articles, and pottery.

“Tt is not a fire-clay, but may be suficiently refractory for stove linings, boiler-setting blocks, or other purposes where extremely high temperatures would not be used.

“This is one of the best clays of the series; it closely resembles No. 317, which is almost as good. It is not so refractory as No. 190, which stands up at the highest temperature of any of these clays.”

Tests have been made of shales and clays occurring along the line of the Grand Trunk Pacific railway in the vicinity of coal seams west of Edmonton and some of these have been found suitable for common brick, fireproofing, and field drain tile. The results of the tests are published by the Geological Survey, Ottawa, in memoirs written by Heinrich Ries and J oseph Keele.

Ries says that “one of the most promising areas in which to prospect for shales to be used in the manufacture of clay products is in the J asper Park region.

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