Field Trip B

Industrial Minerals & Reclamation

Bowerston Shale Co. - Clay Mining & Brick Artistry

Tour one of Ohio’s fine brick manufacturing facilities at The Bowerston Shale Company which has produced quality clay products for the architectural, commercial and residential markets for over 70 years. Brick design and sculpture has been a hallmark of the Bowerston Shale Company. The skilled staff in the architectural specialties and design department create custom shapes and sculptures that give unlimited possibilities to building design.

Attendees on this tour will view the entire specialized processes involved in the manufacturing of bricks. From the mining of clay, to the processing of the specially selected raw materials, colorization, drying and firing, you will be amazed at the quality and care involved.

Mining
The process of producing brick begins with the mining of a select fire clay and shale from our own mines. Because of our strict quality control and environmental standards, contamination and variation problems in the raw materials are virtually eliminated.

Processing Raw Materials
The clay and shale are processed through a series of automated crushers and grinders, then screened to assure uniform blending for consistent brick structural integrity and color. After the materials are pre-mixed, they are conveyed through precision extruders. The green brick is then cut to size and automatically set onto kiln cars for drying and firing.

Methods of Creating Colors
Various methods are used to create the different colors of brick:

• Blending the fire clay and shale to produce red or buff colored brick.
• Flashing, by injecting raw gas into the kiln during the firing process. The raw gas ignites and robs the kiln atmosphere of oxygen. This condition draws the oxygen from the brick, producing deep shades of color.
• By adding special minerals to the clay and shale to create shades of brown, buff or gray colored brick.
• A ceramic coating is also applied to certain shades in the extrusion process to create unique colors and textures.

Drying and Firing Brick
The computer control system ensures uniformity of color and size throughout the firing process. Information as to the firing curve is continually monitored and can be printed at any time the kiln operator wants or needs the data. Additionally, this precision firing ensures Bowerstown brick meet and exceed ASTM standards for high compressive strength, low absorption, and no efflorescence.

More information at: www.bowerstonshale.com

The Wilds www.thewilds.org

The Wilds is a private, non-profit conservation center located on nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mine land in rural southeastern Ohio. It was created as the conservation center of the future by a group of civic leaders, political leaders and zoo professionals who believed that a serious scientific approach was required to find solutions to environmental concerns.

The landscape of the Wilds has undergone a series of major transformations, from the open surface mining to the reclaimed grasslands and now areas are being converted to healthy, high diversity meadows.

The science and technology of restoration are still in its early stages. There is a need to refine and further develop the principles and practices of restoration so that we may better understand its various biological and non-biological aspects. The Wilds provides an ideal “laboratory” for these studies.

The Big Muskie Bucket and Miners’ Memorial Park

Designated a “Great Ohio Adventure of Learning” by the State of Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism. The Big Muskie was the World’s Largest Dragline and one of the seven engineering wonders of the world! The machine has even been featrured on the History Channel! The bucket weighs 460,000 pounds empty and when loaded carried and additional 640,000 pounds. It’s volume is equal to that of a 12 car garage. The Big Muskie Bucket and Miners’ Memorial is without a doubt a one-of-a-kind destination. The site represents a major piece of history and assures that the mining men and women of Southeastern Ohio will never be forgotten.