An archaeological piece from Machu Picchu is displayed at the government palace in Lima April 4, 2011.
IN PHOTO: An archaeological piece from Machu Picchu is displayed at the government palace in Lima April 4, 2011. The first shipment of artefacts from the famed Inca ruin Machu Picchu were returned to Peru on March 30, almost 100 years after being taken to Yale University, symbolically ending a bitter dispute. Peru's President Alan Garcia had led a loud campaign to get back the collection of 46,000 pieces of ceramics, jewelry and bones. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

A recent report by Big Market Research stated that the growth of the ceramics industry is affected by the availability of raw materials and high costs of energy needed in the production of ceramics. Since energy costs account for a large share of operating costs, this could hinder the competitiveness of ceramics producers without access to cheap fuels.

Fortunately, scientists and engineers are currently working on a project that would help ceramics companies save on energy consumption and bills. Lucideon, a materials technology company that has been provided funds by the United Kingdom government's Regional Growth Fund, has developed a low-energy firing technology for the creation of ceramic tiles. According to the company's commercial tests, the tiles that they produced showed the same strength as the tiles made using traditional but energy-intensive methods.

The new technology reduces the temperature needed to fire from 1,150 C to 850 C, thus cutting fuel bills by a quarter or more. It can also cut the time needed to fire ceramics from around 45 minutes to just 10 minutes. Project leader David Pearmain explained, "The tiles have been produced in fractions of the normal firing time and at very significantly reduced temperatures." Hence, the process not only cuts energy bills but also enables production to move in a faster manner, making the project a potential game changer in the field of ceramic manufacturing.

According to UK business secretary Vince Cable, "This exciting innovation has the potential to slash energy bills and speed up production times right across the UK ceramics industry, creating hundreds of jobs at home and opportunities with new global markets abroad."

Lucideon chief executive Tony Kinsella admitted that there are still a lot of things to do in order to finally apply what they have researched in the creation of ceramics. But their confidence remains unwavering. "We are confident we have a real success in our hands, which will have a profound impact on energy use and the economy of the ceramics industry in the future," he said. The company targets 2016 as the year when the low energy firing technology is ready for commercial applications.

Another technology that revolutionises the ceramics industry is digital printing technology, which allows manufacturers to produce ceramics that look, feel and perform as well as natural stone or wood. The resulting product is hence more durable, more affordable, and easier to maintain.

As for raw material availability, Merchant Research and Consulting reported in 2014 that global production of feldspar will grow by four percent every year until 2017. Feldspar is one of the important ingredients in the manufacture of ceramics, as they improve the strength, toughness and durability of the ceramic body. They also cement the crystalline phase of other ingredients through softening, melting, and wetting other batch constituents.

One of the future sources of feldspar is Chile-based White Mountain Titanium Corporation (OTCQB: WMTM). Primarily a titanium dioxide mine, White Mountain's Cerro Blanco Project will also produce feldspar as a by-product, thus contributing to the global ceramics and glass market. Other feldspar producers include China and Indonesia.

Contact the writer: a.lu@ibtimes.com.au

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