OPALINUS CLAY FROM THE JURA
Could the Opalinus Clay be used as a local resource for ceramic recycling?
In Frick, Opalinus clay is mined for the construction industry. The gray-black slate clay created from marine deposits is found in the clay pits of the Jura. Practical ceramics had already been made from it in the past. Various tests show that it can be mixed well with ceramic waste and that a stable, dense shard can be made from it.
Tongrube Frick, Keller AG
CLAY PIT FRICK
Opalinus clay is a fine-grained, clayey rock. It occurs in the Swiss Jura region, the Upper Rhine Graben in Germany and in the eastern part of France. The Opalinus Clay formed during the Jurassic period, approximately 151 to 163 million years ago.
The clay pits in Frick and Jura Käsletten are still in operation. The Frick roof tile works, later Tonwerke Keller AG, became known for the production of tiles and bricks. In the late 1930s, the company also produced art ceramics. The art ceramics department presented its products at renowned trade fairs. In 1983 the art ceramics department was closed. Today they still supply small quantities of clay to the construction industry. For local brick production, the clay is imported from abroad because the processing of the clay is too expensive.
Today, Opalinus Clay is very interesting for geologists and scientists, especially because of its low permeability. It is a natural barrier against radioactive substances. The Swiss government program for deep geological deposits, Nagra (National Cooperative for the Storage of Radioactive Waste), is investigating the feasibility of storing radioactive waste in various claystone deposits.
Bowls made from recycled ceramics and Opalinus clay
Raw material deposits, Keller AG
Opalinuston Keller AG Frick, Jura cases