Image: Huseyin Demir was awarded $2000 from the Clay Minerals Society (http://clays.org) to study clay deposits in northern Turkey near the Sile district. These Miocene lake deposits are mined close to the beautiful coastline of the Black Sea and have been used for centuries to make some of the most distinctive porcelain products around the world. Huseyin is processing large data sets from X-ray diffraction and elemental concentrations using principle components analysis. These two analytical approaches should give similar results, but when combined they should allow for a more discerning classification of rock properties. Not only will this study allow for a better understanding of the provenance of the clays and geologic history of the region, but it will also help to inform clay producers about how to more selectively produce clays for specialized purposes.
