Spodumene
$30.02
Item #: CH-SPD
| Qty: | Unit Price: |
|---|---|
| 5 | $25.02 |
| 25 | $22.52 |
| 50 | $20.02 |
| 100 | $17.51 |
Priced per pound. Quantity discounts are available.
Our spodumene is a substitute from Laguna, is chemical grade and sourced from Australia. It is used as a source of lithia, and is often used as a replacement for feldspar.
Lithium, in turn, serves two main purposes in ceramics: it is a very powerful flux, and it also improves the thermal properties of a claybody. Spodumene differs from our lithium carbonate in chemical makeup, however; spodumene contains a natural combination of silica, alumina, and lithium, which means that it melts a bit more readily than lithium carbonate on its own.
In glazes, spodumene can lend itself to the development of copper-blue toned glazes and promote a matte surface -- this, in spite of being a strong flux, which is precisely what so many potters find appealing about the material. It also aids in loweing the vitrificaiton temperature as well as reducing the shrinkage rate in most applications.
In clay bodies, some potters use spodumene as a replacement for feldspar (though it technically IS a feldspar). This additive reduces the vitrification temperature required for a body to mature, and also cuts down on shrinkage.
Full bag is 50lbs
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