Where to get blue clay. How to search for clay deposits

Foreword

The discovery of new mineral reserves is the most important national economic task in any country. At the dawn of socialism in Russia, attempts were made to solve this problem not only by geologists, but also by the general population. A large and honorable role in its solution belonged to young people - members of the Komsomol, schoolchildren, young workers and collective farmers. And such a contribution was made by them.

Now the expanses of our vast planet are still fraught with a lot of unexplored minerals and minerals. Their search can not only be useful, but also a pleasure, and knowledge in this area will allow you to broaden your horizons, learn more about the fascinating world of minerals in your homeland, the Earth.

The search and exploration of minerals is not only important, but also exciting. In fact, what could be more interesting and exciting than organized summer trips around the native land in order to study and discover its natural mineral wealth?! These riches are not only in the deposits of gold, diamonds and other similar valuable minerals. Mineral wealth can be, for example, in the most common, familiar to all clays.

Clays are important and essential minerals for many branches of the national economy. For example, a variety of clays - kaolin - is the main raw material for the porcelain and faience and paper industries. For the manufacture of refractory products, “refractory clays are used. Molding clays are used in the foundry industry. Brick clays serve as the main raw material for brick production. The grandiose industrial and residential construction requires huge quantities of brick clays for the production of bricks.

This story about clay contains instructions for young explorers of the bowels and adult seekers of good adventures about the importance of various types of clay for our national economy and about the simplest ways to find their deposits.

What is clay?

Clay is a widespread rock. Clay is a rock that is very complex and unstable both in terms of the composition of its constituent minerals and in terms of physical and technological properties. The conditions for the formation of clays are also extremely diverse.

Geological science has established with certainty that pure clays, i.e., not contaminated with various impurities, are rocks consisting of very small particles (about 0.01 mm or less), and these particles belong to certain minerals. Many researchers call them "clay" minerals. These minerals are complex chemical compounds that include aluminum, silicon and water. In mineralogy, they are called hydrous aluminosilicates.

Clays have the ability to soak, dissolve in water into separate particles, forming, depending on the amount of water, either plastic dough or “suspension” (turbidity), i.e. such liquid mixtures in which the smallest particles of clay are in suspension. Such clay suspensions have a pronounced viscosity.

Therefore, clay can be defined as an earthy rock, consisting mainly of aqueous aluminosilicates with a particle size of less than 0.01 mm, which readily dissolves in water, with the formation of viscous suspensions or plastic dough, which retains its shape after drying and acquires the hardness of a stone after firing. .

How clay is formed

In order to understand the origin of clays, it is necessary to dwell at least briefly on the question of the origin of rocks in general. The earth's crust is made up of rocks formed at different times and under different conditions. Primary are "igneous" rocks (deep and erupted), which are solidified magma.

Magma is the molten mass of mineral substances located inside the earth. It can solidify near the surface without breaking through the earth's crust; in cavities with reduced pressure, forming deep rocks (granite, aplite, gabbro, etc.), and also come to the surface in the form of lava, as happens during volcanic eruptions. In the latter case, igneous rocks are called erupted (diabases, basalts, trachytes, etc.).

During the period of their long geological life, these primary rocks are exposed to the influence of the diverse forces of nature, which process them into new rocks that differ sharply from the parent ones. If such processing takes place on the surface of the earth or "in the immediate vicinity of it, new rocks arise - sedimentary (sands, clays, limestones, gypsum, etc.). If they are processed in the deep parts of the earth's interior at high temperatures and high pressures, metamorphic rocks are formed. rocks (gneisses, shales, quartzites, etc.).

The material for the formation of sedimentary rocks can be not only igneous, but also metamorphic rocks, if for some reason they protrude to the surface. At the same time, metamorphic rocks can also arise from sedimentary ones, if the latter are buried to a great depth and are under pressure from overlying rocks. These three types of rocks - igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic - form the entire solid shell of our Earth - its lithosphere.

Clays are classified as sedimentary rocks. The formation of clays, like other sedimentary rocks, is associated with two processes: the chemical decomposition of the original (parent) rocks and their physical destruction. In nature, these processes do not occur separately, but together. The forces that break up solid rocks and turn them into loose sedimentary rocks are combined under the common geological name "weathering".

There are three types of weathering: physical, chemical and organic. Physical weathering is the mechanical destruction (crushing) of rocks without changing their chemical and mineral composition.

Heat and cold are the main forces of physical weathering. As you know, the sun sends enormous thermal energy to the earth. During the day, the sun's rays heat the surface of the earth, at night it cools. The fluctuation between day and night temperatures in some parts of the globe reaches 40-50°. A change in temperature leads to cracking of rocks and their gradual destruction, which is facilitated by water and wind. Penetrating into the cracks and freezing in them, the water acts like a wedge - it breaks off huge blocks of stone, which roll down to the foot of the mountains and form huge screes around them. Large fragments under the influence of the same forces - temperature, water and wind - undergo further destruction, eventually turning into the finest sand and fine dust, carried by water into the sea basins.

Chemical weathering is the decomposition of rocks with the formation of new chemical and mineral substances. The intensity of the process of chemical weathering is directly dependent not only on the mineral composition of the decaying rock and external conditions, but also on the degree of its mechanical destruction. Chemical reactions are faster, easier and more complete with small particle sizes. Along with this, chemical decomposition itself accelerates the process of mechanical destruction.

Chemical weathering is caused by gases (primarily atmospheric air), water and salts dissolved in it. Penetrating through cracks into rocks, water, saturated with oxygen, carbon dioxide and other substances, decomposes the minerals it encounters along the way, dissolves and carries away some chemical elements and deposits others in the rocks.

Organic weathering is the destruction of rocks as a result of the vital activity of plants and animals. Penetrating their roots into cracks, plants split rocks into pieces. At the same time, the roots of plants, releasing acids, and during decay, also carbon dioxide, destroy the rocks chemically. Huge colonies of microorganisms that cover the surface of rocks in the form of lichens, as well as an innumerable number of bacteria that inhabit the soil and the bottom of reservoirs, in turn tirelessly destroy and modify rocks.

Thus, extremely complex and lengthy processes of transformation of some minerals into others take place on the surface of the earth and near it. It is as a result of these processes of destruction of primary hard rocks and processing of minerals that clays are formed.

Of the "clay" minerals, kaolinite is the most studied. It is a combination of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide and water. Its crystals, when viewed under a microscope, have the form of small plates or flakes. Kaolinite is formed as a result of surface chemical weathering in an acidic environment of both igneous and metamorphic and sedimentary rocks containing mainly mica and feldspar. Particularly pure kaolin clays are formed during the chemical weathering of granites, pegmatites, aplites, and others. Kaolinite is composed of clays of a very valuable white variety—kaolin and some refractory clays.

Another clay mineral is halloysite. It is similar in chemical composition to kaolinite, but contains slightly more water. Its crystals, when viewed under a microscope, are in the form of needles. An admixture of "iron" is often observed in it. It is formed mainly under conditions of an alkaline and neutral environment. The initial rocks are usually gabbro, diabase, etc.

Finally, a typical clay mineral is montmorillonite, a very common mineral in soils and many marine clays. Especially pure montmorillonite clays used in the oil industry (for oil refining) are formed as a result of the chemical decomposition of volcanic activity products: ash, lavas, tuffs, etc. When viewed under a microscope, this mineral turns out to be composed of extremely small scales, leaves and fibrous secretions. Its feature is the ability to greatly "swell" under the influence of water.

Depending on the methods of formation, the nature and form of occurrence of clays are different.

Clay deposits, formed mainly as a result of chemical weathering (“residual” deposits), usually have a cloak-like form of occurrence, are distinguished by great thickness (up to 100 m or more) and spread over large areas.

Kaolinite is the most typical mineral for these deposits. It makes up from 10-20 to 100% of such "residual" deposits. Clay deposits resulting from erosion, transport and secondary deposition of clay particles of residual deposits are characterized by pronounced layering, relatively small thickness and diversity of the chemical composition of individual layers. The distribution area of these deposits can vary widely.

Clay properties

The properties of clays depend entirely on their chemical and mineral composition, as well as on the size of their constituent particles. These are already. facts point us to the most important properties of clays.

The most important properties of clays are:

the ability "in a mixture with water to form thin "suspensions" (cloudy puddles) and viscous dough;
ability to swell in water;
plasticity of clay dough, i.e., the ability to take and maintain any form in its raw form;
the ability to retain this shape even after "drying with a decrease in volume;
stickiness;
binding ability;
water resistance, i.e., the ability, after saturation with a certain amount of water, not to pass water through itself.

Various products are made from clay dough - jugs, krinks, pots, bowls, etc., which, after firing, become completely solid and do not let water through. Brick factories produce building bricks from clay, which also have high mechanical strength. This indicates another important property of clay - its ability to harden after firing, giving a material that does not soak in water and is impervious to it.

Clays can be of all colors - from white to black. In the Ukraine and in some other regions of the USSR, white clay serves as a material for whitewashing walls, stoves, etc. When they want to paint the walls in colored tones, they take yellow, red, green and other clays. Thus, here we are dealing with a new property of clay - with its coloring and covering ability.

Some types of clays are used in oil refineries to refine petroleum products. They are also used to purify vegetable oils and fats. Thus, we are faced with another property of clay: its ability to absorb certain substances dissolved in it from a liquid. In technology, this property is called "sorption capacity".

Due to the fact that clays contain a large amount of aluminum oxide, they are also used as chemical raw materials, mainly for the production of sulfate salts of this metal.

These are the most important properties of clays, on which numerous types of their practical use are based. Of course, not all clays and not to the same extent have the listed properties.

Varieties of clays

The most valuable for the national economy are the following types of clay:

Kaolin is a white clay. It mainly consists of the mineral kaolinite. Usually less plastic than other white clays. It is the main raw material for the porcelain and faience and paper industries.

Refractory clays. These clays are characterized by white and gray-white color, sometimes with a slightly yellowish tint. During firing, they must withstand a temperature of at least 1580 ° without softening. The main minerals forming them are kaolinite and hydromicas. Their plasticity may be different. These clays are used for the production of refractory and porcelain-faience products.

Acid-resistant clays. These clays are a type of refractory clay with small amounts of iron, magnesium, calcium and sulfur. Used for chemical porcelain and faience products.

molding clays- a variety of refractory clays with increased plasticity and increased binding ability. They are used as a binding material in the manufacture of molds for metallurgical castings. Sometimes refractory clays (less stable than refractory ones during firing) and even low-melting bentonite clays are also used for these purposes.

cement clay have different colors and different mineral composition. Magnesium is a harmful impurity. These clays are used to produce Portland cement.

brick clay- fusible, usually with a significant admixture of quartz sand. Their mineral composition and color may vary. These clays are used to make bricks.

Bentonite clays. The main mineral forming them is montmorillonite. Their color is different. They swell a lot in water. They have a higher bleaching power than other clays. These clays are used to purify petroleum products, vegetable and lubricating oils, when drilling wells, and sometimes, as noted earlier, in the manufacture of foundry molds.

In industry and technology, other types of clay are often called: pottery, tile, fuller, ceramic, drilling, faience, porcelain, capsule, building, colorful, etc. However, these names practically do not characterize the special properties of clays.

In production practice, there is also a division of clay into "fat" and "lean" (sandy loam, loam). Such a division of clays is associated with the degree of contamination with quartz sand. Quartz sand is the most common and almost always the predominant admixture in clays, especially in residual clay deposits. There is little sand in "fat" clays, and a lot of it in "skinny" clays.

As already mentioned, clays are widespread in nature and usually occur at a shallow depth from the surface. All this makes them a cheap type of mineral raw materials. However, transporting them over long distances is impractical. Therefore, they try to use them as mineral raw materials on the spot whenever possible. For example, all brick and tile factories are necessarily built on the clay deposit itself, since it is much more expedient to bring more expensive fuel to the factory than huge masses of wet and very heavy clay.

However, not all types of clays are found everywhere. Some varieties of them occur only in certain, few areas. Meanwhile, the demand for them is very large, and consumers (factories, construction sites, etc.) are often many hundreds and even thousands of kilometers away from the place of production. In such cases, long-distance transportation of clay becomes inevitable.

The most rare clays are primarily high-grade bentonite clays and all varieties of white clays - kaolins, porcelain, faience, refractory, molding and acid-resistant. It is on the search for these rare varieties of clays that the greatest attention should be paid.

Serious assistance in identifying such valuable varieties of clay can and should be provided to the state by voluntary prospectors of the subsoil. The white color of the clay makes it extremely easy to find them. Layers of white clay are visible in outcrops along river banks and in ravines.

However, it must be borne in mind that not only clays have a white color, but also a number of other rocks, in particular, pure quartz sands and especially chalk. In some places, the population calls chalk "clay", although it has nothing to do with clay either in its chemical composition or in its properties. When mixed with water, chalk, like clay, smears well and may even seem plastic, but it is enough to drop a drop of hydrochloric acid on it, as it immediately reveals its chemical nature: the acid begins to boil, as it were, from the release of carbon dioxide. This reaction of the rock to hydrochloric acid indicates that it is chalk, not clay.

White quartz sand is even easier to distinguish from white clay. It is absolutely non-plastic and crumbles when dried even from a light touch.

Application of clays

Clays are mineral raw materials of mass consumption. They, as already noted, are used in a wide variety of sectors of the national economy, for a variety of purposes. The following areas of industrial application of clays are of the greatest national economic importance:

Ceramics

Ceramics is one of the most ancient forms of human exploration of mineral nature. Scientists have established that the most ancient ceramic products from the Nile silt date back to the 1st century BC, in other words, they are over 13,000 years old. On the European continent, dishes of an even earlier time, made by a man of the Ice Age, were found, dating back over 15,000 years.

The Egyptians and Assyrians possessed an extremely high technology of ceramic production. In particular, they knew how to cover their pottery with colored glazes. The ancient Greeks and Romans achieved special perfection in ceramics, as evidenced by the Greek black-figure and red-figure vases, remarkable for the beauty of their forms and fine artistic taste.

The peoples of Asia also achieved remarkable success in ceramics. Suffice it to point to the production of the finest porcelain tableware, which began in China about 4,000 years ago.

In Russia, artistic ceramics has its own rich history. During excavations near Kerch, clay vessels and figurines were found dating back to the 4th-6th centuries AD. In the Middle Ages, ceramics became a favorite decorative material for the builders of ancient Russian cathedrals in Vladimir, Suzdal, Novgorod, etc. Remarkable examples of artistic tiles dating back to about the 15th and 16th centuries can still be seen in St. Basil's Cathedrals in Moscow and Willows. Kolomna near Moscow.

In Pavlovsk, Kuskovsky, Ostankino and other palace-museums in Moscow, Leningrad and other cities, collections of works of Russian national ceramics, amazing in their beauty and originality, created by the talented hands of serf artists, have been preserved. Great merits in the development of Russian artistic ceramics belong to Lomonosov's contemporary, the prominent scientist D. I. Vinogradov, who created Russian porcelain.

Simultaneously with the development of porcelain production and artistic ceramics, the production of other types of ceramic products also developed, primarily building materials: bricks and tiles, refractory supplies, dishes, etc. The modern ceramic industry of the USSR is an advanced large-scale machine production. It unites a large number of factories and factories producing products for various technical purposes.

Currently, not only clays, but also such rocks as talc, pyrophyllite, magnesite, dolomite, corundum, diaspore, kyanite, etc. serve as raw materials for the production of ceramic products. However, clays continue to occupy the first place among them.

The largest and most important branches of the ceramic industry for the national economy are as follows:

The production of refractory supplies (bricks, beams, crucibles, etc.) plays an extremely important role in the national economy. Refractories are especially needed in ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, cement production, glass, fine-ceramic and chemical industries. Refractory products are those that can withstand without softening a temperature of 1580 ° or more. Refractory bricks are mainly used for lining furnaces in which heat treatment of certain materials is carried out.

Refractory products made of clay, depending on the feedstock and the content of aluminum oxide (alumina) in them, are divided into fireclay and semi-acid.

Fireclay products are called products that are made from a mixture of raw refractory clay and fireclay, which is also refractory clay, but previously fired and ground into powder. Alumina in fireclay products should contain at least 30%.

Chamotte is a "wasting" additive, i.e. such an additive that reduces the plasticity and shrinkage of the product, which is inevitable in the process of drying and firing.

Semi-acid products contain less than 30% alumina and more than 65% silica (silicon oxide); they are also made of chamotte and refractory clay, but with the addition of quartz material.

Thus, the main raw material for the production of fireclay and semiacid refractories is refractory clay, which can withstand temperatures not lower than 1580°. Sometimes kaolin is also used as such a raw material.

Harmful impurities that reduce the fire resistance of clays are iron oxides, the content of which should not exceed 3.5%, and minerals with the presence of alkali (mica, feldspar), the content of which in clay should not exceed 2%. Lime is also harmful; it is allowed in an amount of not more than 1-1.5%.

Porcelain and earthenware production (fine ceramics) is the second largest consumer of ceramic clays. Porcelain and faience products differ from other ceramic products with a white shard. The difference between porcelain and earthenware lies in the degree of porosity of the shard: the porosity of faience is from 10 to 14%, while the porosity of porcelain does not exceed 0.5%.

The main raw material for fine ceramics is kaolin. Quartz or quartz sand is introduced into porcelain-faience masses as a lean additive, feldspar is used as a flux that lowers the firing temperature; the binding material is light-burning refractory plastic clay. Since these clays usually reduce the whiteness and translucency of porcelain, they are tried to be added in a minimal amount. This is possible only if the clay used has a high binding capacity.

The firing of porcelain and faience products is carried out at a temperature of 1350 °. It is very important that in kaolin and in other minerals - components of porcelain and faience masses - there should be as little iron as possible, the admixture of which not only reduces the overall whiteness of the crock, but also forms black spots and dots ("flies") on it, significantly depreciating products. The content of iron compounds in clays used in the production of artistic porcelain should not exceed 0.5-0.9%.

Brick production is the largest consumer of clays. It does not impose particularly strict requirements on raw materials. For the production of ordinary building bricks, widely used low-melting sandy (“lean”) clays of any color are used. Deposits of such clays are found almost everywhere and a large number of local brick factories are based on them.

In addition to "lean" clays, brick production can also use "fat" plastic clays, however, in this case, quartz sand is added to them to make the bricks more stable during drying and firing. Brick clay should not contain crushed stone, pebbles, gravel, large pieces of limestone, gypsum and other impurities. The firing of building bricks is carried out at a temperature of 900-1000 °.

Along with small brick factories serving small consumers, in our country, near large industrial centers and large new buildings, powerful, fully mechanized enterprises are being created, which annually produce many millions of bricks. Such enterprises require powerful raw material bases, the preparation of which is the most important national economic task.

The production of "stone goods" includes the manufacture of sewer pipes, wall and floor tiles, chemical utensils, etc. These products are characterized by a dense sintered colored shard. In this production, fine-grained plastic refractory and refractory clays of various colors are used.

Pottery (jugs, pots, bowls, pots, etc.) is made mainly by handicrafts. For its manufacture, ferruginous, not very greasy, mostly fine-grained clays are used.

Cement production

Portland cement is a finely ground powder obtained from a mixture of clay and limestone fired at a temperature of 1450-1500 ° (with a small addition of gypsum). This fired mixture is called "clinker" in the technique. Clinker can be prepared either from marl, which is a natural mixture of limestone and clay, or from an artificial mixture of them in approximately a ratio of 1 part clay and 3 parts limestone.

The quality requirements for clays used in the Portland cement industry are not very strict. Widespread sandy brown and red clays are quite suitable, even with a very high iron content (up to 8-10%). Magnesium oxide is a harmful impurity. The presence of coarse sand, pebbles, crushed stone and other large parts is not allowed. The possibility of using one or another type of clay largely depends on the chemical composition of the limestone mixed with it and is determined in almost every specific case.

Clay cement is a powder obtained by joint grinding of fired clay at a temperature of 750-900 °, dry slaked lime and gypsum in a ratio of 80: 20: 2.

Mold preparation

Casting of products from ferrous and non-ferrous metals is carried out in special molds. These forms are prepared from mixtures, the material for which is quartz sand and clay. Clay plays the role of a binding material, since quartz sand alone, without plasticity and binding ability, does not produce strong forms. The main technical requirement for foundry clays is their high binding capacity. In other words, they must be "fat". In addition, clay should not burn the mixture to the surface of the castings.

Depending on the metal being smelted, the sizes and shapes of the castings, clays of various mineral and chemical compositions are used. “Fatty” clays with the smallest possible particle size, sufficiently refractory, with a high content of alumina are preferred. In recent years, bentonite clays, which have an exceptionally high binding capacity, have been successfully used in foundry. Although they are not refractory and, moreover, even belong to the fusible type, however, their increased binding ability completely compensates for this shortcoming. It allows them to be introduced into the molding sand in an amount of about four to five times less than conventional refractory clays. And this contributes to better gas permeability of the form and reduces sticking. Harmful impurities in molding clays are feldspar, mica, limestone, as well as minerals containing sulfur. They lower the fire resistance of the clay and increase burnout.

Drilling of the wells

In recent years, clays have become widely used in the drilling of exploration and production wells. The exploration of minerals by rotary drilling with the extraction of samples of drilled rocks has become very widespread. Rotary drilling is carried out using special machines. The drill string consists of metal hollow rods, a core barrel and a drill bit tightly attached to each other. As the well deepens, the rod increases. Its upper end is attached to the machine, driven by a special engine.

When drilling wells from rocks with the help of a crown, cylindrical columns are drilled, called cores. The drilled core is pushed inside the core barrel as the crown deepens. To extract the core, the projectile rises to the surface from time to time. By stacking the cores in the order in which they were extracted, an accurate picture of the composition, structure, location and thickness of the drilled rocks is obtained.

For the successful operation of the drilling rig, a clay solution is introduced into the well. This solution is pumped into the well through the rod by a special pump. The solution jets, circulating through the well, capture small rock particles destroyed by the bit and carry them out. Clay mud performs, in addition, other extremely important functions, namely: a) forms a thin film impermeable to water on the walls of the well, which prevents the penetration of liquid through pores and cracks into the surrounding rocks; b) strengthens the walls and thus protects them from collapses; c) prevents the possibility of gas emissions from the well and the penetration of groundwater into them. In addition, the clay solution cools the drill bit, which becomes very hot during rotation.

Drilling equipment has its own specific requirements for clays. They must be very fine-grained, highly ductile and free of sand, gypsum, limestone and salts. The most suitable for use in drilling are bentonite clays. However, other types of clays may be quite suitable for these purposes. Clays producing viscous muds with a daily sediment of no more than 1% and the presence of sand no more than 3-4% are quite suitable for the preparation of drilling muds.

Purification of petroleum products, organic oils and fats

Some clays have a high adsorption capacity and are used for bleaching (bleaching) various mineral and organic substances (kerosene, gasoline, vegetable oils, animal fats, fruit juices, etc.). They absorb various contaminants, mucus, resin, pigments, etc. For this purpose, clays consisting mainly of the mineral montmorillonite (bentonite and so-called subbentonite) are suitable. Some of them bleach well without any pre-treatment, others need it and are treated with sulfuric acid. The suitability of clay for bleaching is usually determined empirically, since its bleaching ability depends not only on the nature of the clay itself, but also on the conditions under which cleaning is carried out, and on the material composition of the material to be bleached.

paper industry

This industry uses a white variety of clay called kaolin. It consumes up to 35% of all kaolin production. It is introduced into the paper pulp as a filler in order to enhance the whiteness of the paper and make it denser and smoother. The smallest particles of kaolin, filling the gaps between the wood fibers from which the paper pulp is produced, dramatically increase the quality of the paper.

The main requirements of the paper industry for kaolin are white color and the absence of large grains of quartz sand. Large grains spoil not only paper, but also expensive units on which it is produced.

rubber industry

This industry also uses kaolin as a filler. Its introduction into rubber increases the mechanical properties of rubber. For the production of rubber products, it is important that the particles of kaolin are the smallest and that there are no large grains of quartz sand in it. Of the impurities for this production, iron, sulfur, copper and manganese are harmful. The moisture content in kaolin in this case should not exceed 0.5%.

Paint production

This branch of production uses fine-grained ferruginous clays, from which yellow, brown and red colors are produced. Well-known ocher, mummy and umber are prepared from such clays. The main requirements of paint production are their uniformity, fine grain, purity and color intensity. In addition, the clay must have good covering power.

Chemical industry

Among many other important products, the chemical industry produces aluminum sulphate for water purification. Its production consists in boiling clay with sulfuric acid, calcined at a temperature of 650 ° and crushed to 2 mm. To obtain aluminum sulphate, "fat" clays with a minimum sand content are most suitable. The color of the clay in this case does not play a role. The chemical industry also uses kaolin to make paint - ultramarine.

aluminum industry

This branch of industry uses a variety of clays, kaolin, to produce certain aluminum alloys. In the future, in this industry, along with kaolin, other white clays will undoubtedly find wide application. At present, effective methods have already been developed for obtaining pure alumina from low-iron clays, suitable for the manufacture of metallic aluminum.

Art

Plastic green, gray-green and gray clays are widely used in sculpture. Usually, all sculptors initially create their works from clay, followed by casting them from plaster or bronze. Only in rare cases is a clay original fired. Fired, unglazed clay sculpture is called "terracotta", glazed - "majolica".

Other small consumers

There are many other industries that use clays. These include, for example, soap, perfume, textile, abrasive, pencil and a number of others.

Clays, in addition, are widely used in everyday life, especially in agriculture: for laying furnaces, claying currents, whitewashing walls, etc. The use of swelling clays of the bentonite type in the construction of dams, reservoirs and other similar structures has great prospects.

Clay quality improvement

There are a number of clay deposits that are not developed, because the quality of the clay does not meet the requirements of the consuming sectors of the national economy. For example, kaolins from many deposits are unsuitable for most industries due to the high content of quartz sand or coloring oxides (iron and titanium). There are many refractory clays, the use of which in industry is impossible due to the admixture of minerals that lower their softening point.

White clays in some cases are damaged by rust spots and smudges, which reduce the overall whiteness of the material. Such stains and smudges are removed by manually selecting yellow pieces going to the dump. Sometimes, to bleach the kaolin, it is washed in a weak solution of sulfuric acid. Clay is easily freed from sand by washing it with water in special machines and settling devices. With such washing, larger and heavier grains of sand easily and quickly fall to the bottom of the nearest settling chambers, and the smallest light particles of clay matter slowly settle in special settling tanks.

There are other ways to enrich clays, but they are used much less frequently. To increase the bleaching ability of clays, they are treated (activated) with sulfuric acid, and to give colorful clays the desired shades, they are sometimes subjected to special firing. In practice, enrichment of clays is used relatively rarely - only when it comes to varieties that are rarely found in nature (for example, kaolins, highly refractory and bentonite clays).

Such mass and not very demanding industries as brick, tile, pottery, cement, etc., use clays in their natural form.

Where and how to look for clay

Before you start looking for clay, you need to know for what purposes it is intended, because each industry, as we have seen, has its own requirements for clay.

If its future consumer is known, the task of searching is greatly facilitated, since at the first stage one can be guided by purely external features characteristic of clays of a given purpose. For example, white is typical of kaolins, as well as faience, porcelain and refractory clays.

Having determined the search area, it is necessary first of all to interview local residents, who can provide very valuable information about the occurrence of clays in this area. Then external signs indicating the presence of clay deposits are used. These signs are as follows:

swampiness of the area;
an abundance of streams and springs along the banks of rivers and ravines;
low groundwater levels in wells.

All these features are related to the water resistance of the clay. They indicate its occurrence near the surface.

It is easiest to find deposits of clay by outcropping rocks in cliffs and along river banks. Layers of deposited rocks can lie horizontally, but they can also be located at some angle to the horizon line and even stand vertically. Geologists say about such layers that they are “put on their heads”. The position of individual layers in an outcrop depends on various reasons: the topography of the bottom of the reservoir, in which sediments accumulated, discharges that occurred after their accumulation, manifested near the banks of landslides, etc.

In appearance, it is usually difficult to distinguish clay from other rocks in an outcrop. The boundaries of individual layers are in most cases obscured by rain flows and scree. For a more reliable examination of outcrops, they are cleared. Then the boundaries of individual sediments, even with an insignificant thickness of the layers, are revealed quite clearly.

Clay in cleared outcrops is recognized without difficulty. It is enough to pinch off a small piece of rock and slightly knead it between your fingers (in case of insufficient moisture, moistening it with water), like clay, if this is it, is easily detected by a number of characteristic features. It does not crumble into separate grains, as happens with sand. It adheres to the skin and, easily yielding to even a slight pressure of the hand, takes and retains the shape given to it. The plasticity and pliability of clay sharply distinguish it from other sedimentary rocks, for example, from limestone or dolomite, interlayers of which are often found in outcrops.

If the clay layer is of sufficient thickness (approximately 1–3 m) and a not very thick layer of other rocks (2–4 m) covers it on top, then the deposit may undoubtedly be of practical interest. In this case, it is necessary to make a schematic sketch of the cleared outcrop (section) on a scale. In a schematic section, not only clay layers are shown, but also layers of all overlying rocks and a layer of the underlying (underlying) rock. The sketch is supplied with a serial number and symbols that are assigned to individual rocks. Simultaneously in a notebook, which should be at the scout of the bowels, the serial number of the sketch is noted, a brief description of the section is given, the time and place of the sketch are indicated.

The approximate text of the entry in the book is as follows: “Section No. 4; May 25, 2008; right bank of the river SOSNOVKI, 300 m below the ferry at the village. Stepanovka and 0.5 km from the station. Ippolitovka. The height of the bank from the river level is 10 m, the thickness of the white clay layer is 0.5 m; thickness of overburden is 1.5 m.

Clay sampling

The color of clays, the depth of their occurrence and the thickness of the layers, determined at the outcrop, do not always allow us to assess their suitability for industrial use. The assessment of the suitability of clays for certain practical purposes can usually be given only as a result of studying their quality.

A sufficiently reliable and comprehensive study of the qualities of clays is carried out in laboratories using special instruments. For such studies, samples are needed that give a correct idea of the mineral and chemical composition of clays, as well as the size of its particles throughout the thickness of the reservoir, from its upper to lower boundaries.

If only one layer of clay is found, and the clay is homogeneous in appearance, one general sample is taken. In the presence of several layers, as well as in case of heterogeneity of clay in each layer (by color, by degree of sandiness, etc.), a special sample is taken from each layer and each layer different from the others. Each sample is numbered. Sample numbers are also put on the sketch of outcrops at the place where they were taken.

Sampling in outcrops is carried out by the so-called "furrow method", which consists in excavating a certain amount of rock across the formation. The selection technique is very simple. At a previously cleaned place, through the entire layer from top to bottom, two parallel cuts about 20 cm deep each are made with a shovel or ax, at a distance of 10 cm from each other. Pieces of clay in the form of a tetrahedral or trihedral prism are cut out without gaps from the area marked in this way with the same shovel or knife.

With homogeneous clay, all pieces taken from a given cleaned area are mixed, and the sample is reduced to a weight of 2-3 kg. With heterogeneous clays and the presence of several layers, samples taken from individual layers are not mixed, but are reduced and packed separately for each layer or layer. Packing is made in small cloth bags or in paper. All samples, as indicated, are numbered. Each bag or bag with a sample must contain a note indicating the number of the sample, as well as the layer and place from which it was taken. The same information is entered in the notebook, but with a more detailed description of the place where the sample was taken.

During layer-by-layer sampling on outcrop sketches, the number of samples taken in each layer is noted.

Clay testing in situ

For in-depth laboratory testing of clays, the selected samples are sent either to the nearest geological department or to another research organization engaged in the study of mineral raw materials, and in particular clays. Here, the mineral composition of the selected samples, their chemical composition and all the most important physical and technical properties of clays are studied.

But sending samples for scientifically qualified laboratory tests does not exclude the possibility of a preliminary assessment of some properties of clays by the discoverers of the deposits themselves, including voluntary prospectors of the bowels. For example, on the spot it is possible to approximately determine the degree of sandiness of clays. To do this, a pre-weighed amount of dried clay is soaked in a glass of clean water so that there is four times more water than clay. Then the sample in the beaker is thoroughly mixed. After the clay has completely dissolved, the sample is allowed to settle for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the sand, the size of the grains of which is much larger than the size of the clay particles, will settle to the bottom of the glass, and the clay particles will remain (in the form of turbidity) in suspension. After draining the liquid, the settled sand is dried and weighed. By dividing the weight of the sediment by the weight of the dry clay taken and multiplying the quotient of this division by 100, the percentage of sand content of the clay is obtained.

Without much difficulty, bentonite clays can be distinguished from kaolinite clays on the spot. To do this, a small piece of the test sample is immersed in water (on a saucer). Kaolinite clay will soon dissolve completely, forming a small cone, and bentonite clay, without blooming, will begin to rapidly increase in volume, retaining the original shape of the piece taken for a long time.

It is also easy to determine the bleaching properties of clay yourself. To do this, a certain amount of it is dried (at a temperature of 120-200 °) and then ground into the smallest powder. This powder is poured into a bottle (necessarily white glass) and polluted kerosene, gasoline, vegetable oil, etc. are poured into it, in an amount approximately three times greater than that of clay. The mixture in the bottle is shaken for 10-15 minutes and then allowed to settle. After that, they look at how much the poured oil or kerosene will brighten. The greater the lightening, the higher the bleaching properties of the clay.

It is very easy to determine the plasticity of clay on the spot. To do this, a small piece of clay is kneaded with water until a well-shaped dough is formed. Then the resulting dough is rolled out into a roller as thick as the index finger and 15-20 cm long, and this roller is gradually bent into a ring. Clays with high plasticity are bent into a ring easily and without cracking or tearing. It is not possible to obtain such a ring without cracks from lean low-plastic clays. The curvature of the arc before the formation of cracks serves as a measure of plasticity.

Color also to a certain extent characterizes the quality of the clay. White and light gray clays are always low in iron and are usually refractory or refractory. If their plasticity is low, a young mineral explorer can justifiably believe that he is dealing with kaolin. The red-yellow or red-brown color of the clay indicates that it does not have fire resistance and is suitable only for rough ceramics. The black color of the clay indicates a large admixture of organic matter in it. However, this still does not determine its technological properties. In a number of cases, such clays can turn out to be quite satisfactory ceramic raw materials, since after firing, organic impurities burn out and the color of the shard sometimes becomes almost white.

The presence of sand in clay can be easily determined by taking the clay "by the tooth". Clays that do not contain sand do not squeak on the teeth. The more sand in the clay, the stronger it will be felt on the teeth.

Olya Likhacheva

Beauty is like a precious stone: the simpler it is, the more precious :)

Content

Blue clay is a multifunctional and versatile substance, which is considered to be effective and useful in terms of its properties, its rich composition allows its use for medicinal purposes in medical practice. The unique blue powder can even compete in the battle against cancer. She is in demand in cosmetology practice.

Compound

It is a storehouse of a huge number of different micro and macro elements. A large number of people believe that its chemical composition is not inferior to many vegetables and fruits. It is mined in different natural places, therefore, there may be a difference in chemical elements, depending on the area of extraction and storage conditions. Composition of blue clay:

Aluminosilicates (salts).
Aluminum oxide and silicon oxide.
A group of kaolinite minerals.
Montmorillonites and others.

Properties

The properties of a natural substance, its ability to treat many pathologies has been known since ancient times. The Egyptian beauty Cleopatra used clay to improve her facial skin in the form of masks. It is easy to find this substance in stores. Its efficiency is several orders of magnitude higher than the cost:

Therapeutic characteristics prevent the formation of acne.
Helps to lighten dark spots on the skin.
Helps to strengthen and firm the skin.
Improves blood circulation.
It has a rejuvenating effect.
Helps to get rid of cellulite (anti-cellulite drug).
It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic action.
Adsorbing characteristics are characteristic.
Normalizes the work of the sebaceous glands.
Has a whitening effect.
Promotes tissue regeneration.
Provides oxygen to the tissues.
antirheumatic properties.
Cleansing the body of toxins.
Stimulation of hair growth.
Improves the functioning of the immune system.

Application of blue clay

Due to its many properties, it has a wide range of applications:

Chronic diseases of the joints.
Pathology of the spinal column.
Muscular diseases.
NS pathology.
Injury.
Diseases of the female genital organs of various forms.
Inflammatory phenomena in the digestive tract.
Hemo-diseases and oncology (benign, malignant neoplasms).
Pathology of ENT organs.
Eye diseases.
Diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus).
Vascular diseases (edema).
In the treatment of skin diseases (acne).

Blue clay treatment

The main principle of its action lies in the improvement of metabolic processes in the body. It does not matter at all how to use clay, inside (on an empty stomach) or as lotions, baths, trays and compresses. Modern medical practice recognizes its healing characteristics, so it has been widely used in various directions.

A natural substance is used to correct the figure (when losing weight), for hair (normalization of properties), gives tenderness and elasticity to the skin. It is not difficult to buy it in most pharmacy kiosks and even supermarkets. Treatment with blue clay at home is easy, the effect of use is not inferior to expensive manipulations.

For face

It is strongly recommended to determine the type of facial skin before use - oily, combination, dry. For dry, moisturizing additives are used, for oily - on the contrary. When analyzing the mineral composition (macro- and microelements) of a substance, cosmetic effects should be emphasized:

removes fatigue and manifestations of lack of sleep (as an antidepressant);
promotes smoothing of wrinkles (rejuvenation);
sebaceous glands are normalized;
narrows enlarged skin pores;
frees the skin from acne;
helps restore elasticity, softness, elasticity of the skin;
helps to whiten the skin, eliminate freckles, age spots;
improves complexion;
helps to reduce scar tissue, regenerate abrasions.

For teeth

Natural blue clay has found its active use in dental practice. In this case, dentists recommend using a clay creamy solution. It should be applied to the surface of the gums, withstand about 15-20 minutes. It is allowed to rub this slurry into the surface of the gums. The procedure helps to reduce gum bleeding.

For joints

Orthopedic practice, rheumatology allows a number of recipes for how to use blue clay:

Clay cake. The thickness of such a cake should be about 1-1.5 cm. The cake is applied to the problem area, covered with a plastic piece on top and warmed with a woolen thing. Hold for 120 min. Next, rinse the surface of the joint with warm water. The treatment course is 7-10 days. Use a new clay each time.
Bath. For 5-6 liters of water heated to 300C, take two tablespoons of the powder, mix thoroughly and add to the bath, each procedure should last for a quarter of an hour. Then rinse with warm water too. After such a procedure, take a horizontal position and try to relax, so it is right to take it before going to bed.
Compress. Grind to a powder, dilute in a small amount of warm water to a paste. Keep the mixture for several hours, then heat up to 40-45C and apply on a gauze napkin to the problem articular joint, fixing and warming with a woolen cloth. To withstand until completely dry for about 30-40 minutes.

With varicose veins

Treatment of varicose veins involves the use as a complex drug. In this case, it is necessary to prepare a bath with heated water. Pre-brew in 3 liters of boiling water 4-5 tablespoons of birch leaves, chamomile, nettle. Even only one of the named herbs is allowed. Cool to comfortable heat, dissolve 3 tablespoons of clay. Add more warm water and keep your feet in it for about 20-30 minutes. Perform such baths every 48 hours until the condition improves.

For skin diseases

Blue clay is used for skin pathologies in the form of boils, eczema or neurodermatitis, clay lotions are recommended. To do this, carefully dilute the clay with warm water to a mushy state (without lumps). In a warm form, apply to a cotton cloth or a multi-layered piece of gauze and apply to the damaged area on the skin, covering the top with a napkin. After 60 minutes, it is recommended to remove the lotion and rinse the skin surface with clean boiled water.

For corns and heel spurs

With the formation of corns, calluses and heel spurs on the foot, the use of a bath of aristocratic powder is practiced. To do this, in 3 liters of hot water, but so as not to cause a burn, dissolve one tablespoon of crushed clay, soak the feet for 15-20 minutes. It is recommended to alternately use compresses and baths, wrapping. The therapeutic course includes ten daily procedures.

Blue clay contraindications

Despite the long list of benefits of blue clay, there are still contraindications for use:

The presence of inflammatory processes in the acute phase.
Cardiopathology.
Renal failure (including kidney pathology at the stage of exacerbation).
Hypertension, symptomatic hypertension.
Diseases of the thyroid gland.

The formation in the post-procedural period of hyperemia on the skin, severe itching, polymorphic rash rash is facilitated by the use of additional ingredients (essential oil, any medicinal herbs, etc.), to which an allergic reaction is possible on an individual basis. The list of contraindications is not so long, because each patient can use the healing gift, however, everything should be within reasonable limits, after consulting a specialist.

Clay is a unique substance made of quartz, mica, aluminum, oxides of silicon, iron, potassium, magnesium, mineral salts, micro and macro elements. It has an extensive list of features that were known in the ancient world. Clay has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, and now this tradition has not been forgotten. From our article you will learn how clay is useful, and how it can be used to treat bruises, inflammations, and diseases of internal organs.

Useful properties of clay

What properties clay has can be listed almost endlessly. The first healing property of clay is that it contains many salts and elements (calcium, silicon, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, iron, nitrogen). Silicon is needed to maintain the immune system, prevent atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Silicon helps calcium to be absorbed faster, which has a positive effect on hair, nails and skin.

Contains radium. It absorbs toxins and heavy metals, it is used as the main component for the manufacture of drugs for cancer therapy. This natural component is a good absorbent, it removes radionuclides and heavy metals.

The main properties of clay are a cleansing and antibacterial effect. Normalizes metabolism, removes excess acids and toxins and has a positive effect on the activation of blood circulation.

As you can see, the healing properties of clay are very diverse. It is used to treat epilepsy, blood vessels, diabetes mellitus, blood diseases, atherosclerosis, arthrosis, arthrosis, hemorrhoids, cardiovascular system, treatment of diseases of the spine, inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Types of clay

There are several varieties of this natural component. The benefits of clay directly depend on its color, which differs depending on the salts prevailing in the composition:

Blue clay is the most popular, containing the most cobalt and cadmium. The benefit of such clay for humans lies in anti-inflammatory and antibacterial actions. Blue clay is widely used to treat headaches, burns, respiratory diseases and even colds, and it also has a rejuvenating effect by cleansing and saturating the skin with oxygen;
Red contains iron and potassium, which determines its color. The properties and use of red clay is to get rid of anemia and anemia. She is treated for joints, muscles and spine;
Green clay is rich in copper and ferrous iron. The beneficial properties of green clay have a particularly good effect on the condition of the skin, hair, and also have a positive effect on the functioning of the venous system, help get rid of varicose veins and swelling of the legs;
White contains zinc. It is a powerful antioxidant, the main benefit of white clay is its rejuvenating effect, in cosmetology it is popular to treat hair with white clay, acne and cleanse the surface layers of the epidermis;
Yellow clay is rich in potassium. Used to treat sciatica and arthritis. A useful property of yellow clay is a calming effect, effective for overwork, stress;
Gray is used mainly to rejuvenate and moisturize dehydrated skin.

Clay damage

Despite the beneficial and healing properties of clay in the treatment of many ailments, there are limitations in its use. It is contraindicated in diseases of the kidneys, liver, osteoporosis, febrile conditions, bronchial asthma and an open form of tuberculosis. You should consult your doctor in case of acute cardiovascular insufficiency.

The harm of clay can occur if you are allergic to this natural component. Avoid overdose, as this may contribute to the withdrawal of vitamins.

Preparation of healing clay

When applied externally, clay can be used in a variety of ways. We will tell you the main ways of preparing healing clay, depending on the disease.

If you use it to draw out toxins or strengthen the body, you need to make lotions from clay. Mix a teaspoon of powdered clay with 200 ml of boiled and filtered water. Stir with a wooden or glass spatula so that you get a uniform consistency resembling sour cream in viscosity, leave for several hours under the influence of the sun in the fresh air. Then apply the mixture on the skin (the thickness should be a few centimeters), secure with a bandage and leave for 1.5-3 hours. Make 2-3 lotions a day.

Clay can cure insomnia and headache. Mix it with curdled milk 1:1, make a compress on the forehead and hold for 15-20 minutes.

Clay from the common cold and sinusitis: mix it with water in a ratio of 1: 1, knead to a thick consistency and heat to 40ºС. 4 times a day, do a hot compress on the area both and sinuses. Enough 20 minutes. The same can be done for the treatment of otitis clay, just make applications behind the ear 3-4 times a day.

Clay for internal use

It is actively carried out with the help of clay for the restoration of various internal organs, diarrhea, gastric ulcers, urolithiasis and bloating are perfectly treatable with clay. It must be clean, without foreign impurities. The maximum single dose is 30 grams, the daily dose is 100 grams for an adult.

If you will be treated with food clay, do not use it on an empty stomach, dilute it with cool water so that it does not lose its benefits, and after using this natural component inside, you need to rest and lie down for 15-30 minutes and not overeat. Please note that you need to drink clay in small sips.

Clay treatment for constipation: drink 50 grams of clay mixed with 200-250 ml of cold water 3 times a day after meals.

If you want to cleanse the body, then within 2 weeks, drink a glass of water in which a teaspoon of blue clay is mixed.

Treatment of gastrointestinal diseases: it is recommended to drink water with clay 3 times a day before meals. First, mix 0.5 teaspoon of blue or white clay with a glass of water, but gradually increase the amount to 2 teaspoons. The duration of treatment is 21 days, take a break for 10 days and continue again.

Clay treatment for bruises

Clay with bruises is very effective, as it will prevent the development of a hematoma.

Preparation of a mixture of clay for the treatment of bruises: mix 45 grams of this natural blue component, a spoonful of honey and a raw egg. First, apply the resulting mixture to a clean linen cloth, cover with compression paper on top and secure the bandage with a bandage. Take it off when you feel warm. But do not rush to throw out the bandage, put it in the refrigerator and put it on again after a few minutes.

It is convenient to use wraps to treat bruises and sprains with clay. Moisten the canvas in the clay mass, apply to the damaged area and cover with a woolen cloth. Remove the lotion after 2-3 hours.

Clay treatment for wounds and burns

Clay is a unique natural component, as it literally draws out all the bad things from our body. Treatment of wounds and burns with the help of clay is an excellent replacement for many modern drugs, it will not allow microbes and bacteria to multiply and even clean an open wound.

If you have a burn or wound, you need to make a clay lotion. It will take several lotions so that it can completely absorb all the toxins and harmful substances.

First, treat the damaged area of \u200b\u200bthe skin with a damp cloth or warm water, then dilute the clay with cool water in a 1: 1 ratio. Use only a wooden or glass spatula for mixing. Apply the resulting thick mixture to the wound or burn in layers of several centimeters, apply a bandage on top, but do not tighten too tightly so as not to disturb blood circulation.

Where to get healing clay

If you decide to use clay for medicinal purposes, and not for cosmetic purposes, then pharmacy products will not suit you. You need to harvest this natural component yourself.

Cambrian oily blue clay is considered the best. The activity and deep clay is highly valued; it can be taken in a quarry, not far from brick factories, on the surface of the earth near lakes and rivers. Do not use the city and the one that is located close to industrial centers. Dig deeper and in nature, the cleanest is clay, which is over 15 meters underground. You need to dig clay exclusively with a wooden shovel, and store it in non-metallic containers.

Have you seriously thought about undergoing treatment with clay? Then you need to stock up heavily. Harvest clay for treatment in the summer, make many small cakes out of it. It is necessary that it warms up in the sun, then its healing properties will be more pronounced. 1-2 days in the sun is enough to fill it with solar energy. After "tanning", put the cakes into boxes or grind it into a powder and sift through a sieve. Do not use metal to store it, as it degrades the properties of the clay, enamelled, wooden or unfired earthenware vessels are ideal. Periodically expose them to the sun, then it will be stored for a long time.

How to check the quality of clay

If you yourself found clay, then before using it is necessary to check its quality. Arrange for her a simple check that can be done right on the spot.

Method one: take a small piece, dilute it with water and shake. If the clay is good, it will sink rather slowly to the bottom. Otherwise, this natural component is not suitable for treatment. The water should not separate into two layers, and good quality material will be slightly oily and flake.

Method two: make a small bagel, after wetting it with water. It will suit you if it has good plasticity, takes the desired shape and does not crumble. Then leave this bagel in the sun, if stains appear on it, it begins to crack, then such material is not suitable for treatment and use for cosmetic purposes.

Method three: hang a ring, nut or any other weight on the thread and point it at the clay layer. If the pendulum began to swing towards you and then away from you, then this product is of excellent quality. If the weight swings left and right, then you should continue the search. This method helps to determine the energy strength of a natural component.

Use of clay for cosmetic purposes

Facial masks and body baths with the addition of clay have a good effect. They can be used as a prevention of various inflammations and irritations on the skin, to improve the condition of the skin, as well as to treat acne and black spots on the face.

Body Wrap: Prepare a clay solution by mixing 3-4 tablespoons of clay powder with 1 liter of warm water. Put a warm blanket, oilcloth or polyethylene on it and a sheet soaked in the solution. A person should lie on it, and they wrap him in a sheet, oilcloth and a blanket. The duration of the procedure is 1.5-2 hours.

Clay baths: Add 5-6 tablespoons of clay powder to 1 liter of warm water. Add the resulting solution to a bath of water, the temperature of which is 40-45°C. The tub should only be half filled with water. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes. After taking such a bath, do not immediately rinse the body, it is better to wrap yourself warmly and lie down calmly. This helps to strengthen the body and rejuvenate the skin.

Clay face mask: Mix 2-3 tablespoons of clay powder with water so that the consistency resembles sour cream. Add 2-3 drops of olive oil, a little firth juice and one yolk to it. You can add one teaspoon of honey if you like. Apply the clay mask on your face and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse with clean water and apply a nourishing face cream.

Mask for blackheads: mix 2-3 tablespoons of clay from a pharmacy with ¼ cup of vodka and the juice of half a lemon. Apply the mask on problem areas of the face (wings of the nose, forehead, chin) and leave for 10-12 minutes, then rinse with clean water.

Good afternoon, my dear readers!

Modern cosmetics are very diverse, and sometimes the eye does not know what to stop at on store shelves. Blue clay occupies a special place among cosmetics. It is inexpensive, but its effect on the skin is legendary.

Why don't we take advantage of its healing properties? But first you need to find out in more detail what blue clay is, what it heals from, and how to apply it correctly.

Beneficial features

The properties of clay and its ability to cure many diseases have been known since ancient times. I already wrote an article about miraculous properties. Now let's talk about blue.

Cleopatra herself used clay as a face mask. Today you can find this tool in any cosmetics store. It costs "penny", but the effect of it, as from expensive cosmetic creams and masks.

Blue clay is also called marine: hence its aristocratic hue. The main element in it is radium, which helps to get rid of toxins. Due to its bactericidal and antiseptic qualities, the raw materials were used internally for the treatment of infectious diseases.

So, what can blue clay do, what are its properties and uses?

resists cancer;
treats arthritis, rheumatism and other joint diseases;
inside clay is taken from cirrhosis, with ulcers, anemia and diseases of the genitourinary system;
gives the skin elasticity and removes stretch marks;
gives hair volume and vitality.

Today, the cosmetic is used mainly for skin treatment:

acne;
allergies;
psoriasis;
dermatitis;
eczema;
stretch marks;
freckles.

Less commonly used as a hair mask, but inside it is used extremely rarely. This is due to the fact that blue clay can only be obtained in a store, and the composition of industrial products is suspicious, so few people dare to use raw materials inside.

And although the cosmetic is considered harmless and does not harm the body, it has contraindications:

wounds and inflammation on the skin;
varicose veins, if cellulite wraps are performed;
diseases of the endocrine system, if the clay needs to be taken orally.

So, let's look at some recipes for using clay for the body.

Popular Recipes

Beautiful facial skin

Mask to improve the condition of the skin of the face. Dilute clay powder with water to get the consistency of sour cream. Apply to face and leave for 20-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

For acne

From acne, a mixture of clay with a decoction of chamomile, sage, linden is used. To do this, instead of water, clay is mixed with infusion. For infusion, you need to take 1 teaspoon of the dried plant and pour a glass of boiling water. Hold the mask on your face and rinse.

From cellulite

Clay wraps help. To do this, the raw material is diluted with hot water and applied to the body. Then you should wrap yourself in polyethylene and leave for an hour. In order for the effect of the wrap to be greater, you must first lie down in a hot bath or lie under the covers after wrapping. Before applying the raw material must be rubbed in the palms.

From wrinkles

To increase the elasticity of the skin of the face and eliminate wrinkles, you can use the Cleopatra mask. To do this, the clay is not mixed with water, but with milk and applied to the face. After half an hour, the mask is washed off. After this cosmetic product, you will be surprised how smooth and elastic the skin has become.

Skin whitening

To whiten the skin and get rid of freckles, a few drops of lemon juice should be added to the gruel from raw materials. Apply a layer of gruel on the face and leave for a quarter of an hour. Wash off with cool water.

Stretch marks

For stretch marks after childbirth, a mixture of different types of clay should be used: gray, green and blue. They must be mixed in equal parts, add a little liquid honey and stir the gruel until smooth.

Apply the product on the scars and leave overnight, fixing with a bandage. This should be done until the stretch marks disappear. For daily application, a new mixture should be made each time.

Allergy

In the event of allergic reactions, clay applications should be applied to the site of the allergy and to the liver. Leave the product on for 20-30 minutes, then rinse gently. Thanks to this cosmetic product, it is possible to quickly eliminate an allergic attack and eliminate a rash.

Joint treatment

Warm wraps are made for the joints. Steam the towel well. Apply cold clay to it and apply to the sore joint.

Leave the wrap for an hour. Rubbing clay water into the joint also helps a lot. Efficiency is increased if lemon soy and crushed garlic are added to the product.

For psoriasis

Dilute raw materials with vinegar in a ratio of 1: 3. The resulting mixture is diluted in half with coarse salt and applied to the affected areas for 5-6 hours. Then rinse with warm water. The procedure is performed every day for 2 weeks. Then you should take a two-week break and try again.

With gastritis

For gastritis, traditional healers advise drinking clay water with activated charcoal. In the process of treatment, you should fast for a couple of days, and then eat only low-fat and low-calorie foods.

Chicken broths and boiled breast are allowed. After a week, you can return to your usual diet. If necessary, the course of treatment lasts a month, during which the patient must follow a diet.

Headache

For migraines, clay is applied to the soles. To do this, a thick mixture is made, kneaded and applied to the sole in a thick layer. Then the feet are wrapped in plastic bags and left for an hour.

Fungal diseases of the skin

You can dilute raw materials with lemon juice and water and rub water on the affected area. Another remedy is clay, diluted to the consistency of sour cream, mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar. The mixture is applied to the diseased skin and left for 5-6 hours. Then rinse with water and repeat the procedure daily for 2 weeks.

Hypothyroidism

In case of violations of the thyroid function, lotions are made on the area of \u200b\u200bthe thyroid gland.

Diabetes

Inside, you should use a clay talker several sips 5-6 times a day. Lotions from thick raw materials should also be made on the area of \u200b\u200bthe liver and kidneys, as well as diseased legs.

Pain in the teeth

For diseases of the teeth and gums, you can rinse your mouth with a solution of clay. If a tooth hurts, lotions are made on the area of \u200b\u200bthe diseased tooth.

Treatment of an intervertebral hernia

For intervertebral hernia, apply a little thick clay to gauze and apply to the area of the hernia. Well helps fir oil, which must be alternated with clay. The clay mixture removes swelling, and the oil dissolves the bumps.

Women's diseases

In diseases of the female reproductive system, it is recommended to drink clay water and make lotions from a clay mixture on the area of \u200b\u200bthe uterus and female organs.

Runny nose

With a runny nose and nosebleeds, raw materials are applied to the sinus area.

Baldness

Of course, in case of serious illnesses, it is necessary to drink clay water and make lotions for a long time. Only then is the effect noticeable.

Now we know what diseases blue clay treats, use it to your health.

Until we meet again, friends!

It is called differently: blue clay, Crimean keel, keffekelite, soapy earth, bentonite clay... It is more than 500 million years old and has managed to stay in all great civilizations. In the days of Tsarist Russia, it was worth its weight in gold: it is not easy to get it, and it is used as a medicine for almost any ailment. Today, blue clay, like no other, is the subject of speculation - it's easy to deceive a buyer who is not versed in geology! Anyone who would like to improve and rejuvenate their body with the help of keffekelite needs to have a mandatory minimum of information, and carefully read the contents of the powder before buying. So what do you need to know?

How to distinguish a real keel?

This happy a la couple is unlikely to suspect that real blue clay is not blue at all - it's just a name. After washing off such a “healing” mask, they will most likely find that the skin of the face has acquired a turquoise hue - the powder was originally tinted with copper chlorophyllin. You can get into a mess in another way: “blue clay” can be written on the package, and in black and white it says that you have a mixture and, for example, kelp powder. A separate case is when enterprising charlatans sell gray therapeutic mud as blue clay right somewhere in the Crimea. Of course, they also have useful properties - but not at all what we expect from blue clay.

The real Crimean keel is a waxy, oily rock that, when wet, feels like melted butter to the touch. Its color can vary between blue, light green and gray. Blue clay was formed during the Cambrian period from volcanic ash, marble, limestone, kaolinite, spar and mica. The rich mineral composition of keffekelite, which can be put one step above ordinary vegetables and fruits, is able to fully satisfy all the needs of the human body: it contains over 50% silicon dioxide, 19% aluminum and 15% other elements that give the clay its original color - oxides of iron, calcium , magnesium, etc. It is impossible to buy Crimean kil from the hands of beach merchants, if only because real blue clay is mined at a depth of 80-100 meters and this requires an experienced mining team.

History of blue clay

It is believed that the Amazons living on the island of Lesbos in the Aegean archipelago were the first to discover blue clay. Warriors didn't use battle clay to take "beauty baths" - they applied it as war paint. But Cleopatra had more peaceful views on Cambrian clay: she made masks for her hair, face and body from it.

Blue or blue clay is also mined in Altai, France, Bulgaria, China. The most famous kila deposit in our country is located near Sevastopol - Sapun-mountain (translated from the Turkic "sapun" means "soap"), where a layer of blue clay came to the surface.

Tatar women used it to wash their hair and when visiting baths. Especially valuable properties of keel are that it absorbs fats and dyes, while not losing its own even in salt water. This made it possible to wash directly in sea water and produce high-quality "dry cleaning" of sheep's wool. "Kil" is exactly what is translated - "wool" or "hair". Today, such procedures would be called “nano-washing”: after all, blue clay crystals are so small that they are not visible under a microscope at the highest magnification (for this they are called colloidal-dispersed). How can one not lather and not foam, if just one cubic centimeter of keel contains approximately 25 billion clay particles!

Before the revolution, Sevastopol premium soap "The Miracle of Crimea" was in great demand - the advertising company relied on its ... radioactivity. Indeed, the Crimean keel contains a small amount of radium, which allows it to be used as an alternative therapy for certain types of tumors. In addition, soft tooth powder was made from it, and after it, in 1933, the first was released in the Soviet Union in washing powder (a mixture of keel and soda). Alas, by 1948 the "clay age" was over: readily available reserves of minerals were used up, and chemical alternatives to the once ideal environmentally friendly product appeared on the market.

Keel in medicine

Blue clay has no contraindications and is used both externally and internally. All somatic diseases begin with improper metabolism, and it is not so important what caused it - whether it is stress, negative environmental influences, improper diet or lifestyle. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what exactly you would like to treat: you just need to get your metabolism back on track. Of course, clay acts as a panacea: it contains almost the entire periodic table and provides the body with a full-fledged “menu” to choose from. All this is also relevant when recovering from injuries (fractures, sprains, burns, etc.)

Of course, this does not mean that a few bags of clay are enough - and thanks to everyone, everyone is free. Clay treatment is usually combined with medical treatment, homeopathy, herbal medicine, etc. But clay will certainly make its significant contribution! Like any clay, keffekelite also cleanses the body of toxins and toxins. To do this, dissolve the keel in a glass of water (from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons) and drink 1 hour before meals. The course can last from 10 days to a whole year. Blue clay will also serve as a good help for ladies “in an interesting position” - in the first trimester, clay water will relieve nausea.

Blue clay in cosmetology

First of all, the Crimean keel is universal: it is suitable for any skin type. "Daring and beautiful" natural redheads - if your freckles are dear to you, do not make face masks from blue clay (it whitens the skin). The same goes for summer tanning. They also make hair masks, anti-cellulite body wraps and baths from the keel. These procedures stimulate the metabolism and regeneration of the skin, cleanse and prevent acne, have a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect, smooth mimic wrinkles and improve complexion. The main thing is not to use metal utensils when diluting clay mixtures: blue clay loses its useful properties in it.

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