Mining
The process of manufacturing brick begins with the selective mining of clay and shale. This material is hauled from our mines to the plant to be processed.
The process of manufacturing brick begins with the selective mining of clay and shale. This material is hauled from our mines to the plant to be processed.
The raw material is processed through a primary crusher, secondary grinder, and then screened to assure uniform particle size distribution for consistent structural integrity and color of the brick. After the material is ground, it is conveyed to the pugmill to be vacuum extruded. Following the extrusion process, the green brick is cut to size and automatically set onto kiln cars for drying and firing.
Kiln cars enter the dryer where the water is removed before firing can begin. The brick then move into the kiln and are carefully brought to temperatures exceeding 1900 degrees Fahrenheit. A glassy phase forms around the clay particles fusing them together to form a strong durable brick.
Once the brick have cooled, they are ready to be packaged for shipment. The brick are manually sorted and blended then banded and labeled ready to be put on a truck for shipment.
Bowerston Shale uses various methods to create different colors of brick: