Clay (clay pit operation)

Emissions generated by the activity within the product supply chain as described in ecoinvent v3.8. Clay sediments are used in great variety, with the primary raw materials being loams, clays, marls, mudstone, shale, and slate together with smaller quantities of boulder clay, loess, and sand. They can contain all types of suitable clay minerals (layered silicates), such as illite, sericite, kaolinite, chlorite, and montmorillonite. The composition and particle size are the two principal factors that determine the nature of this product. The main component of the raw material clay is Kaolin. Kaolin approaches the formula of the mineral kaolinite (Al2O3.2SiO2.2H2O). Kaolins are primary clays formed by local decomposition of feldspar mineral. Clay is mainly used for producing bricks. Other products with a porous structure are produced from raw materials including clay, e.g., face bricks, paving bricks, roofing tiles, drainage pipes, and cable conduits. Clinker, with its impervious or nearly impervious structure is produced mainly from shale and stoneware clays. The cut-off classification is allocatable product. The activity type is ordinary transforming activity. The reference product amount is 1.