china clay
Noun
Meaning
a fine usually white clay formed by the weathering of aluminous minerals (as feldspar); used in ceramics and as an absorbent and as a filler (e.g., in paper)
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Hypernyms
Examples
China clay expansion The china clay industry on Dartmoor was established long before the DPA was founded.
Greeves, 1999, p.9 The china clay companies relinquished planning permissions in 2001.
In 1994, the National Park boundaries were changed to include common land at Shaugh Moor and exclude china clay worked land at Lee Moor.
In recent years, controversy has surrounded the work of industrial conglomerates Imerys and Sibelco (formerly Watts Blake Bearne), who have used parts of the moor for china clay mining.
Local chemist William Cookworthy established his short-lived Plymouth Porcelain venture in 1768 to exploit the deposits of china clay that he had discovered in Cornwall.
Other primary industries that have declined since the 1960s include china clay production, fishing and farming.