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Types of Clay

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The two primary or residual clays that most concern the potter are China clays and bentonite, a sticky, very finely particled and highly plastic clay.
All the others are designated secondary or sedimentary clays, and they include the low-firing red clays suitable for earthenware, as well as the fireclays and stoneware clays that withstand much higher temperatures.

REFRACTORY CLAYS: the primary China clays and some of the fireclays from which high-temperature kiln bricks are made.

VITRIFIABLE CLAYS: clays which can fire to the point where the particles are fused together without distortion of the form.

FUSIBLE CLAYS: these are the lower-firing clays which are used mainly for earthenwares because they would actually melt before they reached 1300 º C.