ELECTRICAL PURIFICATION OF CLAY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 558, 17 August 1920, Page 3

ELECTRICAL PURIFICATION OF CLAY.

The most novel application of electricity to industry is the purification of clay. A machine designed for this purpose was recently exhibited before the Royal Society, London, England. It consists of a trough with a cylinder which slowly revolves over a grating through which the "slip" —a mixture of clay and water—is forced. When the cylinder is cohnected to one pole of an electrical circuit and the grating to another, the electrical effect separates the fine particles of clay from the water and deposits them on the cylinder, whence they are removed by a scraper. By this simple and ing&rious process, by the name of "electrical osmosis," low grade and 'dirty china clays can be used to produce pure fine clays for pottery and for the manufacture of "art" paper. The clays used for fire-clay are made more plastic and also more fire-re-sisting result of the electrical treatment>»The same process can be applied in tanning leather and in the preparation of «lue and gelatine.