The following chemicals are commonly used in glaze preparations

ALUMINA HYDRATE is used for opacity, mattness, durability and hardness. It is the major source of alumina in glazes, and may also be used to protect kiln furniture.

ALUMINA OXIDE is responsible for the mattness or brilliance of glazes. It prevents devitrification, adds strength, and is insoluble in water. It melts at 3550 F. Use of too much alumina can cause a dry appearance.

BARIUM CARBONATE is used as a high temperature flux, will produce satin matt glazes. TOXIC.

BONE ASH is used as a flux in clay bodies, and will help in transparency. It is used as an opacifier in glazes.. Yes it is ground calcined animal bones - calcium phosphate.

BORAX is a water soluble, low temperature flux which lowers the fusion point of glazes and promotes a smooth melt. Borax produces bright colors with various oxides, it is also a source of sodium and boric oxide in glazes.

CHROME OXIDE GREEN This glaze pigment producing a variety of color, usually green, but red, brown, pink and white can be produced depending on the glaze formula, atmosphere and temperature of firing.
It can affect adjacent ware above cone 6

C.M.C. POWDER is often used as a thickener, binder and suspending agent in slips and glazes.

COBALT CARBONATE pigment produces blue colors, for glazes and slips. May produce purples when manganese is present and is best used for glazes due to fine particle size.

COBALT OXIDE pigment produces blue colors, for glazes and slips and may have a speckled effect..

COPPER CARBONATE is a glaze and slip colorant producing a variety of greens, blues, and reds depending on the glaze formula , atmosphere and temperature of firing.

COPPER OXIDE BLACK is a very concentrated colorant and flux. In an oxidizing atmosphere - greens result, in reduction, reds may occur and alkaline glazes produce turquoise blues.

CORNWALL STONE (Cornish) is a type of spar used in clay bodies to give strength while firing. It is also used in engobes because of it's adhesive properties, with the addition of a suitable flux. Cornwall Stone can be used as a glaze. Sometimes called English Cornish Stone.

DISPERSAL is a liquid deflocculant for porcelain slip and is also used as a suspending agent for glazes which are to be applied by spraying. (Darvan 7)

DOLOMITE is useful as a source of calcium and magnesium. It can be used as a high temperature flux and to produce crystal formations.

FLUORSPAR is a calcium compound used as a flux in glazes in small amounts. Decomposition during firing produces fluorine gas which may result in blistered glazes and TOXIC fumes.

GERSTLEY BORATE is a sodium-calcium-borate compound used as a low temperature flux which helps prevent crazing. It can act somewhat as an opacifier  No longer available

GUM ARABIC is a powdered natural gum used as a binder and suspending agent in glazes.

IRON CHROMATE produces dark colors in engobes and underglazes. It can also be added with manganese stains to clay bodies as a colorant. TOXIC in raw form and large quantities.

IRON OXIDE RED is ferric oxide. It is basically the same as black iron oxide except not as concentrated. This is 99% natural and synthetic iron oxides.

IRON OXIDE BLACK is ferrous oxide and produces various shades of brown or green when used as a glaze colorant or decorative oxide. In a high fire, matt glazes, iron oxide and titanium can produce reddish colors.

LITHIUM CARBONATE is used as a flux in leadless glazes. It is a source of lithis, which is a strong high temperature flux. This will improve the brightness of glazes and increase the firing range. It will also reduces thermal expansion .

MANGANESE DIOXIDE 325 is a black powder giving red, brown, purple, or black tones to clays and glazes.

NICKEL CARBONATE is a green nickel producing browns, blues, grays and yellows in glazes. It can also tone down more intense colorants such as cobalt and copper. Maximum use is usually 3%.

NYLON FIBER- Shredded fiber is added to clay bodies to increase working and dry strength, especially for thin or large scale slab work.

PETALITE is a lithium feldspar used to decrease thermal shock.

POTASSIUM CARBONATE is also known as Pearl Ash. This strong flux can be used to modify color in glazes.

PYROPHYLITE is an aluminum silicate added to clay to reduce thermal expansion.

RUTILE, CERAMIC GRADE is a titanium dioxide tan colorant, which contains a small amount of iron, and used for color. It has a tendency to provide various mottled textures.

SODIUM SILICATE Liquid sodium silicate is used as a deflocculent in preparing slip. It reduces the amount of water needed and therefore reduces shrinkage. This is a pure sodium silicate and must be mixed to a 50/50 solution with water.

SPODUMENE is a source of lithis, which is a flux that helps develop copper blues tones in glazes. It can replace feldspar and also reduces the vitrification temperature and shrinkage rate in glazes.

SUPERPAX is the most popular zircon opacifier. It is used in a wide variety of applications. Superpax is effective in controlling texture, craze resistant and color stability in most glazes

TIN OXIDE is an effective opacifier producing even, opaque, glossy glazes. The normal use of Tin Oxide in a glaze is between 5% and 10%, A dull matt glaze can result if used in excess.

TITANIUM DIOXIDE is used primarily as an opacifier in glazes. Titanium Dioxide produces a matt surface, it is also used as a seeding agent in crystalline glazes. (Rutile is titanium dioxide with iron impurities)

UMBER, BURNT is a hydrated ferric oxide with manganese dioxide. It is used for brush decoration to produce a reddish-brown and can also can be added to clay bodies to darken color.

VEE-GUM T is a macaloid type gum suspension agent for glazes and can also used as a surface hardener. It is an extremely plastic, hydrous magnesium silicate used to give plasticity to non-plastic white ware and refractories.

WHITING is also known as Calcium Carbonate. This is the most common source of calcium in glazes. It is a high temperature flux which give durability and hardness to glaze.

WOLLASTONITE is a natural calcium silicate that reduces shrinkage in clays and glazes. It can replace silica and whiting.

ZINC OXIDE is a high temperature flux that can increase the maturity range of glazes, and may also increase opacity.

ZIRCOPAX This is the original zirconium opacifier and used mostly where semi-opaqueness is desired.

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Ajax P Kaolin

Alberta Slip  - A popular Canadian blended substitute for the old Albany (NY) Slip. Albany Slip was frequently used as a glaze additive, and boasted a high proportion of fluxes, which combined with a very fine grain caused it to melt at around 1240˚C.

Bentone MA  - A suspension agent which increases the drying rate of water suspended glazes. It is similar to a very clean, white type of Bentonite. Also used as a plasticizer in fine porcelain.

Bentonite -A very plastic magnesium clay containing colloidal matter which in small amounts lends plasticity to a clay body. Also used as a suspending agent in glazes.

Bell’s Ball Clay - A very plastic ball clay used in industrial and hobby clay bodies of all types. Primary applications are dinnerware and artware.

Calcined Kaolin (Glomax LL) -A medium particle size kaolin clay heat treated at a high temperature with high whiteness and good opacifying properties.

C & C Ball Clay - C&C is a fine-grained engineered blend, well known for its excellent plasticity and fired properties. This extremely consistent blend is suitable for a wide variety of forming processes, where a high degree of plasticity is required, such as dry pressing, jiggering, ram pressing and casting.

Champion Ball Clay - A fine grained blend, Champion produces excellent strength with good fired whiteness. Ideally suited for sanitaryware and dinnerware applications.

Custer (Potash) Feldspar- A potash feldspar used in glazes and clay bodies as a flux where low-soda, high-potash spar is called for. Commonly used where formulas call for an undesignated feldspar.

DB Float (Georgia Kaolin) -has good greenware strength and fires white. It shrinks about 10% at cone 10.

Flint (Silica) -The most common source of silica in clay bodies and glazes. Increases the thermal expansion in clays and decreases thermal expansion in glazes. Also used to raise the melting point in glaze. 200 mesh is usually used in clay bodies.

Flint Imsil 325 -A microcrystalline silica. A very finely divided or “micro” form of quartz physically bound together as loose agglomerates. Although considerably more expensive than silica typically used in ceramic glazes, microcrystalline is considered by some to be the “ultimate” silicate for use in glazes.

Florida Kaolin (EPK- Edgar Plastic Kaolin.) - A semi-plastic white kaolin from Florida. Most often found in clay bodies, but also found in some glaze formulas where kaolin is needed. Fires to cream-white with about 13% shrinkage at cone 9. Not as white as Six-Tile or Kaopaque.

Foundry Hill Cream - ball clay fires to a cream color, especially in oxidation firing.

G200 Feldspar (Potash) is a high quality potassium / sodium / calcium aluminum silicate ground to 200 mesh for ceramic applications. G-200 offers high potash content and low iron oxide per unit of alumina.

GoldArt - A very plastic air-floated secondary clay used in clay bodies where ball clay or fireclay are called for. Fires to light cream with about 7% shrinkage at cone 8.

Gold Label Ball Clay -Produced by Old Hickory Clays, this ball clay is similar to Foundry Hill Cream. Extremely plastic.

Grolleg -Also known as English China Clay, Grolleg is a kaolin mined in Cornwall, UK and is known for its excellent translucency (due to the very low percentage of titanium in it), but only moderate plasticity. It fires very white, with a shrinkage rate of about 14%, cone 9.

Hawthorn Bond Fireclay 35 & 50 Mesh - A Missouri fireclay of good plasticity and fine particle size. Light fired color with approximate 10% shrinkage at cone 10.

Helmar Kaolin -A white sedimentary kaolin clay native to the Northwest. Helmer is used primarily for its "flashing" properties in wood firing.

Huntington Clay

Kentucky Ball OM4 -Also known simply as OM4, this very plastic ball clay fires to a gray to white color. It is a fine-grained ball clay with excellent plasticity and strength. OM4 is an industry standard based on its popularity in both casting and plastic formed bodies. It is also widely used as a suspension aid in glazes. As with all ball clays, it has a high shrinkage rate, in this case about 15%.

Kentucky Special Ball Clay

Kentucky Stone - .A coarse-grained, siliceous ball clay known for its high strength and plasticity. Applications include artware and ceramic tile. May be substituted where Gold Art or Ball Clays are called for in recipes. Fires to light cream with about 11% shrinkage at cone 10.

Lincoln Fireclay 60 has a smooth and very pleasant feel and is used as a major ingredient in many stoneware and midrange clay bodies. It is quite fine, 99% minus 100 mesh, 97-98% minus 200 mesh. It provide excellent drying properties considering its high plasticity.

KT-14 Ball

Lincoln Fireclay 60 has a smooth and very pleasant feel and is used as a major ingredient in many stoneware and midrange clay bodies. It is quite fine, 99% minus 100 mesh, 97-98% minus 200 mesh. It provide excellent drying properties considering its high plasticity.

Nepheline Syenite is feldspar-like in reference to chemical properties (e.g., its melting point); in fact, it is often considered to be one of the lowest melting feldspars.Nepheline Syenite can also be used as an alternative to feldspars to supply alumina for the glass industry. Alumina provides increased resistance to scratching and breaking of glass. Nepheline Syenite has been used by the ceramic industry for many years, and its whiteness is considered to be one of its best properties.

Minspar 200 -. Crystalline minerals made up of mainly silica and alumina in combination with sodium and potassium oxides. Often considered a natural frit. It is a high quality soda feldspar and repacement for Kona F4. Used extensively in both clay, up to 25% and glaze, up to 100%. Minspar-200 is a 200 mesh flotation grade soda Feldspar.

MH 77 Ball Clay

Nepheline Syenite is feldspar-like, in fact, it is often considered to be one of the lowest melting feldspars. Alumina provides increased resistance to scratching and breaking of glass. Nepheline Syenite has been used by the ceramic industry for many years, and its whiteness is considered to be one of its best properties.

Newman #7 is a red burning, low plasticity, low dry strength fireclay useful in both plastic and casting bodies to impart red color. It has powerful staining abilities

Newman Red is a red-burning, low-plasticity fireclay with low dry strength. It's useful in plastic and casting bodies to impart red color and has powerful staining abilities.

No. 1 Glaze Clay

Old Hickory # 5 Ball Clay - A popular secondary clay used in both clay and glaze formulas. Very plastic, fires to a light grey with about 13% shrinkage at cone 10.

PV Clay -Plastic Vitrox. Can be used to increase plasticity in porcelain bodies instead of Potash Feldspara complex material similar to and sharing properties with Potash Feldspar and Cornwall Stone.

Red Art - A high-iron secondary clay used in glazes and clay where low temperature clay is required. Fired red-brown with about 14% shrinkage at cone 1.

Sheffield - is mined from the ceramic grade clay in an extensive deposit located in Sheffield, Massachusetts. and is uniform in content and particle size. It can be relied on to produce dependable results. This clay is an excellent substitute for Albany Slip.

Starcast Ball Clay - a light firing ball clay

Talc- Cal Talc 200 -A low temperature flux for clay bodies and some glazes. Characteristics similar to magnesium in glazes when used in large amounts. Gives a slight opacity to glazes.

Pioneer C88 -A white burning Texas talc low in calcium and grey in unfired state. A high organic talc which yields good green strength and plasticity. A major component in low fire, Cone 06-Cone 2 whiteware clay bodies.

Pioneer C98 Similar to Pioneer C88, but a darker gray in raw form. Fires white.

Tennessee Ball ( SPG 1) - This is a plastic, white ball clay with a shrinkage rate of about 10% at cone 10. It is coarse-grained, fast-casting ball clay and is used in all types of casting applications.

#6 Tile Clay - a fairly plastic kaolin with good translucency. It fires very white.

XX Sagger -A fine grained secondary clay which fires to a light cream with 13% shrinkage at cone 10. Considered very effective in salt firing, and it's claimed that it works well in wood firing.

Grogs & Sands

Kyanite 35 or 48 Mesh -A member of the silimanite group of minerals, kyanite is a super-duty refractor. It aids in making a mechanically strong clay body which also has tremendous thermal shock resistance.

Molochite 30-80 Mixed or 120 Mesh Porcelain Grogtypically used as a low impurity grog in porcelain and white clay bodies grog improving drying shrinkage and thermal shock resistance.

Mulcoa 20, 35 or 200 Mesh Grog

Mullite 35 or 100 Mesh -Can be added to clay bodies to check thermal expansion. May add some strength to the clay due to needle-like shape of its crystals. Also a common ingredient in kiln shelf and posts due to its durability.

Sand 30,50,70,90 Ccoarse sands used in clay bodies for the silica content. Adds texture and strength.