Clay Minerals-Kaolin
Kaolinite, or Kaolin in its mined form, is one of the most common types of clay minerals. It is also referred to as “china clay”. It is a soft, malleable clay and is usually white colored although sometimes, exposure to iron oxide can cause it to have a rust hue. Kaolin is produced by the weathering of aluminum silicate minerals, an example of one of these minerals is feldspar.
Kaolin is produced in many places throughout the world. Including Asia (Vietnam, Korea, China and India) and Europe (Bulgaria, France, Iran, Spain and Germany) as well as Australia and Brazil. It occurs in areas that are hot and moist especially in tropical rainforests such as the tropics of Brazil.
The products of Kaolin are consumed throughout the globe, especially items such as glossy paper and medical gauze (commonly used in the military) ceramics, and cosmetics. There are also some usages that are less widespread. For example, in Nepal people use Kaolin to paint their homes. In South America, it is used to treat an upset stomach, although now it is an ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, which is more widely consumed. Another interesting usage is eating Kaolin in order to suppress hunger, or for health reasons. This is done specifically in Georgia, USA especially among pregnant women. In fact, there is a group of women who actively do this in Georgia.
The environmental impact of kaolin is similar to any type of mining for clay. Mining causes significant altercation to the land as it is significantly chipped away. This practice can lead to erosion as the earth becomes unsteady and loose. Clay mining may also cause dust and loose material in the atmosphere as it is blasted or chipped at.
Brazil- Pará State
Pará is the most populous state of the northern region of Brazil with a population of 7.5 million people. It’s most famous for its lush amazon rainforests and rivers. Pará is also known for the amount of tourist it receives each year. Tourist come from all over to view the ‘Marajó’ style of ceramics made from Kaolin clay. The indigenous people of Pará rely on the land for it’s resources such as livestock, water, and produce. The land in Pará is being taken over by big companies, for example; Vale, Rio Capim Caulim, and Caemi (subsidiary of CVRD). Leaving the natives of Pará with little to nothing due to the contamination in their water systems, deforestation, and no land. Pará is becoming more and more industrialized, therefore the natives are forced to abandon their way of life.
In Para, Brazil, on Quilombo (native tribe) land in ‘Moju’ a company called ‘Vale’ has installed a Kaolin Pipeline. Since the Kaolin Pipeline has been installed, six Quilombo communities have reported that their crops have been affected with soil contamination caused by the mining companies.The mining company ‘Vale’ promised the natives they would build a Community house for agricultural education, a health post for the communities, and restore damages to the land due to the overload of Mining Trucks. But, failed to do so. The Quilombo people decided to protest the mining company by blocking access to the roads used by the mining company ‘Vale’ to get to their mining sites.
Also in ‘Moju’ there’s a large social tension because of the lack of land titles of Quilombo lands. The company ‘Vale’ that built the new Kaolin Pipeline failed to comply with the agreement signed between the native Quilombo tribe and the mining company because the pipeline was built on areas of the traditional population of the Quilombo people. Since the pipeline has been built, lots of environmental damage has been done such as deforestation of Brazilian nut trees.
U.K -St. Austell
St. Austell is a large town along the beautiful towering Cornish Alps in the U.K. Historically, many families relied on mining developments in this area as a mean of income. Originally this was mining for tin and copper, but upon the discovery of ‘china clay’ by William Cookworthy, Kaolin mining began to take over. Kaolin was found on a hill named Tregonning Hill where the minerals that make up Kaolin naturally occur.
These new mines provided many jobs for people of the town. Especially for those who had just recently lost their jobs in mines as a result of the copper and tin industries shutting down in the area due to rising prices. With the growth of Kaolin production came the growth of the town. As more products were being created from Kaolin (such as paper, porcelain, paint and even rubber) the demand for Kaolin rose making the Kaolinite deposits in St. Austell some of the biggest in the globe at the time (early 19th century). Railroads and ship docks were built to transport the Kaolin. Small towns were transformed into a hub for workers and Kaolin sites. More businesses and shops also began to come to the town as it continued to grow. The small villages of this quaint area of the U.K were turned into a mass production site for this highly demanded material, the lives of the people in these villages were turned around.
For the people in and near St. Austell, Kaolin provided many jobs. Although, these jobs were often very taxing and even dangerous. Working conditions were not ideal and the work associated with Kaolin production is laborious (high pressure spraying, mass transport etc.). The small towns these people came to know were overtaken by mass production and a rapidly growing industry. This region became defined by “china clay” as it took over the landscape, economy and jobs of St. Austell.
Closing Thoughts
It is very important to think about where the materials we are consuming are coming from, especially in a society that is often hyper-focused on materialization and consumption. Many of the things we use are imported and few people really think about what that means and how producing materials influence the places they come from. A lot of this production may influence the location in either negative or positive ways. It could create jobs, or boost the economy or it could instead overtake the town and exploit the area for the material and ignore the people who live there and call it home.
I would tell consumers of Kaolin to be mindful that with each purchase, the effect trickles down to the location where this product was produced. By purchasing an item, you support the industry whether it is hurting or helping the people and the surrounding ecosystem. In the case of Brazil, you may be contributing to contamination of local crops which help sustain the society and are also supporting big businesses that are taking over native land and bending laws for their own selfish interest. Whereas in the case of St. Austell you support the big industry that has boosted the economy but also has evolved the town from a quaint village to an industrialized hub.
Overall, we must consider where we put our money and whether the place that produces the material, produces it in a way that does not significantly damage people or the surrounding environment. It is our role as environmentally-conscious citizens to consider these things as it is one of the best ways that we can work towards a better environment on an individual level.
Sources:
“Kaolinite.” Wikipedia. February 20, 2017. Accessed February 27, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaolinite.
“The China Clay Industry.” Cornwall Guide. October 17, 2016. Accessed February 27, 2017. https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/industrial/china_clay.htm.
“St Austell.” Wikipedia. February 27, 2017. Accessed February 27, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Austell.
“Top 12 Kaolin Exporting Countries.” World Atlas. July 20, 2016. Accessed February 27, 2017. http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-12-kaolin-exporting-countries.html.
Virta, Robert L. “Clay and Shale.” Https://minerals.usgs.gov. 2002. Accessed February 27, 2017. https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/clays/claysmyb02.pdf.
Ejolt. “Kaolin pipeline on Quilombo land in Moju, Para, Brazil | EJAtlas.” Environmental Justice Atlas. Accessed February 28, 2017. https://ejatlas.org/conflict/kaolin-pipeline-on-quilombo-land-in-moju-para-brazil.