KAOLINS  AND  FIRE  CLAYS  OF  CENTRAL 
GEORGIA." 
By  Otto  Veatch. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Character.—  Throughout  the  Cretaceous  formations  of  central  Geor- 
gia there  are  remarkable  deposits  of  pure  sedimentary  kaolins  and 
fire  clays  of  great  thickness.  The  occurrence  of  white  clays  through- 
out the  fall-line  region  has  been  known  for  many  years,  but  the 
quality  and  extent  of  the  clays  and  their  availability  as  the  basis  of 
large  industries  are  being  but  slowly  recognized.  The  valuable  clays 
vary  from  the  purest,  soft,  flour-like  kaolin  to  the  hardest,  refractory, 
flint  fire  clay,  and  the  beds  range  in  thickness  from  6  to  35  feet.  The 
kaolins  are  suitable  for  use  in  the  manufacture  of  porcelain,  sanitary 
ware,  encaustic  tiling,  etc.,  and  the  fire  clays  are  suitable  for  high- 
grade  fire  brick  and  other  fire-clay  wares.  On  account  of  the  sedi- 
mentary origin  of  the  clays  objection  is  frequently  made  to  the  appli- 
cation of  the  term  kaolin  to  them.  The  clays,  however,  even  in  the 
unwashed  state,  more  nearly  approach  kaolinite  in  composition  than 
do  many  of  the  washed  residual  clays  that  are  put  on  the  market. 
The  term  kaolin  is  not  generic  and  the  objection  has  but  little  justifi- 
cation. 
The  only  industries  within  the  area  that  utilize  these  clays  are  two 
plants  which  manufacture  fire  brick  and  a  small  pottery  which  has 
been  established  recently  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  for  the  manufacture  of 
porcelain.  Clay  mining  is  carried  on  at  a  number  of  places,  and  the 
product  is  shipped  to  fire-brick  and  terra  cotta  manufacturers,  to 
Ohio  and  New  Jersey  potteries,  and  to  northern  paper  mills.  About 
25,000  tons  are  mined  and  shipped  annually. 
Location  arid  extent. — The  clay  area  is  located  in  central  Georgia 
along  the  fall  line  and  extends  in  a  northeast-southwest  direction 
entirely  across  the  State.  The  fall  line  is  the  contact  between  the 
ancient  crystalline  rocks  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  the  compara- 
tively recent  soft  formations  of  the  Coastal  Plain.     The  streams  of  the 
a  Presented  by  permission  of  the  State  geologist  of  Georgia. 
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