Evaluation of Afyonkarahisar region andesites in ceramic clay and glaze bodies

Andesite is a volcanic rock that has been commonly used in architecture, building and art since the ancient times. Depending on its mineral constituents, andesite in raw state has a colour range changing from light gray to black,reddish brown and pinky tones. Besides its hardness, high abrasion resistance against for heat exchange and frost, decorative and aesthetical properties of andesite make it outstanding and valuable .In recent years, as quality raw material resources have been rapidly used up; researches for new alternative raw materials regarding the economic, artistic and environmental fields have come into prominence in the traditional ceramics production. Studies for producing wares, which possess the desired production and usage properties either technically and aesthetically but at low cost has become a current issue. Therefore , multiple researches are currently done related to the evaluation of raw material resources from several regions of our country in the different bodies like ceramic clays, glazes and engobes .In this study, the andesite, provided from Afyonkarahisar, Iscehisar County and whose proportion of total alcali oxides is high, has been researched for obtaining of different bodies . which can be formed by slip casting and plastic forming and which are changing colours from pinky to reddish brown after the firing in 1160-1180 and 1200ºC and also its usability as a glaze component in the glazes which may be developed in differential temperatures