Developing Recipe from Local Ceramic Raw Materials for Making Crucibles in Ghana

The study experimented with using local ceramic raw materials (white clay, kaolin and silica or quartz) found in AssinFosu in the Central Region of Ghana to manufacture crucibles for melting metals and other precious minerals. Various physical tests were conducted on the materials to arrive at the body compositions. The compositions were also investigated for their elemental components by using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results revealed that the composition of Cruc containing 70% of white clay, 20% of kaolin, 8% of quartz and 2% of white grog;sintered at 1500˚C was very successful and therefore used to develop the recipe to manufacture the proposed crucibles. The “throwing” technique was employed to fabricate the crucibles. Test for thermal expansion was conducted for the manufactured crucibles at 1000˚C for thermal shock and microcracking tests. It was found out among others, that the recipe developed had very good physical and chemical properties of alumina silicate refractory materials and was fit for use at any high-temperature application. The study also recommended among others, that the researchers and institutions responsible for clay research such as Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) and Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) collaborate to improve upon this innovative idea.

Exploitation and Excavation of Land for Clay as Raw Material for Potters in Vume in the Volta Region of Ghana

Clay is a precious natural resource that is used in practically every aspect of life. It has a wide range of applications, including utilitarian and aesthetic items as well as electrical and electronic gadgets. Vume is rich in clay types, which may be found in vast concentrations. In Vume, the commonest way of clay winning is the open pit method. Most clay winners usually abandoned the sites after their clay winning activities without any effort to reclaim it. As a result, the study was designed to investigate the causes of such clay over exploitation and its consequences in Vume. The study employed qualitative research method with phenomenological approach to investigate the problem. The convenience sampling as non-probabilty sampling method was adopted to select six (6) clay winners from two (2) sampling sites of clay winning, making a total sampling size of twelve (12) for this research. The justification was that these clay winners were available at the clay sites and also engaging in unsystematic clay winning activities during the visits by the researchers. The main instruments used for data collection were interviews and direct observation of sites. The study showed that if this rapid clay depletion was not addressed, it would have a negative impact on the pottery and ceramic centers in Vume. The study recommended among others that, there could be proper mechanism to organize clay winners into Small Scale Enterprises and become official distributors of clay to potters in Vume and other industries as well as institutions within the catchment area so that government could get tax revenue from the clay winning activities to develop Vume and the country at large.

Production of Clay Containers for Curbing Plantain Post-Harvest Losses in Ghana

In Ghana, most farmers are peasants and at times foodstuffs produced get rotten either through transportation or market places. This normally affects the meager income that farmers earn through hard work. Available statistics indicate that each year, food crops worth several hundreds of dollars go waste in the country due to poor harvest losses and it represents 70% of total food production in Ghana. Again, in the country, there is abundant of clay as a natural resource. Geological study has revealed that it is found in almost every part of the country. As a means of finding solution to the rate at which local foodstuffs especially plantain rot, the study sought to design and compose clay container purposefully for storing plantain to prolong its lifespan. The study focused on 5 clay body compositions (C1 to C5) and fired at 950°C. Composition C1?consisted of 50% of Abonko clay and 50% of Daboase clay. Composition C2 was made up of 40% Abonko clay, 50% Daboase clay and 10% of smooth sawdust. Composition C3 composed of 45% of Abonko clay, 45% of Daboase clay and 10% of smooth sawdust. Composition C4 was made up of 90% Daboase clay and 10% rough sawdust. The last composition C5 comprised mainly 100% Abonko clay. Fresh plantains obtained from Takoradi market circle were stored in the containers and weekly recordings of states of plantain for five consecutive weeks were carried out. It was revealed that C4 was successful in storing fresh plantains to ripe stage after the five weeks. It is recommended among others that, the technique should be made available to stakeholders such as Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), plantain farmers and market plantain sellers through seminars, public education and symposia in order to minimize post-harvest losses.