EDITORIAL. 
PROMISING CLAY INVESTIGATIONS. 
The work which is being carried out at Ballarat by the Special 
Committee appointed by the Institute to investigate the clay deposits 
of Victoria is yielding most promising results. Additional shafts have 
been sunk at Berringa and Lal Lal, and bulk samples of the clays have 
been obtained. Tests that have been made of a number of samples 
suggested that high-grade kaolins, suitable for the manufacture of the 
better grades of table and toilet ware, occur in Victoria in large 
quantities. Confirmation of this hope is supplied by the subsequent 
analyses of these clays and stones. The following table shows the com- 
parison between the chemical composition of a selected Victorian kaolin 
and that of one of the purest varieties of English china clay obtainable :— 
Best English China 
oe Clay (Lee Moor Victorian Kaolin. 
Devon). 
Silica S,O, .. oe om “h a 471 47°36 
Alumina Al,O3 ft ae of os 39°4 36°30 
Ferric Oxide T’e,0, hay ot 21 qe *23 “88 
Titanic Oxide T,O,  .. we Be ave 13 82 
Magnesia MgO ae te ot a “24. ae 
Lime CaO... nt Ao cy sf “oH 64 
Potash K,0 .. af ide set rie “16 29 
Soda Na.Q .. he Ae os 4 “08 a, 
An analysis of a good English Cornish stone compared with similar 
stone that has been located in Victoria reveals the following simi- 
larity — 
— ; English Cornish Victorian. 
tone. 
Silica SO, .. Ar ae b a 70°30 71-96 
Alumina Al,0; du eh es ws 16°62 H 15°57 
Ferric Oxide Fe,0,; —.. an 43 na 1:54 i= 33 
Lime and Magnesia 1°62 *21 
Potash K,0 5°39 8:24 
Soda Na,O 2:57 ahs 
Systematic furnace tests are made of the different clays, and the 
physical properties of the burnt test pieces are carefully measured and 
recorded. By this means, a complete history of the physical changes 
which occur at various temperatures in the kiln is obtained. The 
information which is being collected should prove of general interest 
and material value to the State. 
C.17078.—3 , 401 
