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manganese or magnesium?

updated sat 15 nov 03

 

Earl Brunner on sun 9 nov 03


Manganese is a colorant, it will NOT be white, (manganese dioxide is
black, not sure about the carbonate form). Magnesium carbonate should
be white.

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of patti yager
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 4:44 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: manganese or magnesium?

On Friday I went for an order of glaze ingredients, 2 hours away. When I
unloaded the materials yesterday I saw that one of the bags was
maGnesium
carbonate and when I checked the invoice, sure enough, it said maNganese
carbonate, which is what I ordered. So, the question is, how do I know
what
I've got without driving 2 hours? I'm pretty good with chemicals from my
farm days when I mixed my own hydroponics nutrient solution for my
commercial herb production. If one of you glaze experts could describe
both
of these materials in detail I will know which I've got and save a bit
of
time.

Steve Slatin on sun 9 nov 03


I believe Magnesium Carbonate is generally white, but Manganese
Carbonate is a sort of pale brown.

-- Steve Slatin

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of patti yager
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 4:44 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: manganese or magnesium?

On Friday I went for an order of glaze ingredients, 2 hours away. When I
unloaded the materials yesterday I saw that one of the bags was
maGnesium
carbonate and when I checked the invoice, sure enough, it said maNganese
carbonate, which is what I ordered. So, the question is, how do I know
what
I've got without driving 2 hours? I'm pretty good with chemicals from my
farm days when I mixed my own hydroponics nutrient solution for my
commercial herb production. If one of you glaze experts could describe
both
of these materials in detail I will know which I've got and save a bit
of
time.



Thanks,



(mud)Patti

still an artist

now a studio potter!

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patti yager on sun 9 nov 03


On Friday I went for an order of glaze ingredients, 2 hours away. When I
unloaded the materials yesterday I saw that one of the bags was maGnesium
carbonate and when I checked the invoice, sure enough, it said maNganese
carbonate, which is what I ordered. So, the question is, how do I know what
I've got without driving 2 hours? I'm pretty good with chemicals from my
farm days when I mixed my own hydroponics nutrient solution for my
commercial herb production. If one of you glaze experts could describe both
of these materials in detail I will know which I've got and save a bit of
time.



Thanks,



(mud)Patti

still an artist

now a studio potter!

Lee Love on mon 10 nov 03


----- Original Message -----
From: "patti yager"
herb production. If one of you glaze experts could describe both
> of these materials in detail I will know which I've got and save a bit of
> time.

Manganese is dark and heavier. It is used as a colorant.

maGnesium carbonate is white, light and fluffy. *
--
Lee In Mashiko, Japan

*My late father used to work for Magline, making military type quonset
(spelling) huts and magnesium hand trucks. He'd bring me home magnesium
shavings and I use them, mixed with home made gun powder, to make my own
fireworks rockets. If you put water on a magnesium flame, it reacts
explosively (I didn't lead a sheltered childhood.) We'd put the
gunpowder/magnesium mixture in the payload compartment of model Centuri and
Estes rockets, either making a hole in the bottom of the payload, or a hole
with a fuse running through it to the payload. We were the neighborhood
"Mad Scientist" kids, me and John Theeuwen. (sp. a Dutch name.) They'd
probably send you the Guantanamo for doing this today, throw away the key.)
But the curiosity and experimentation as a kid is probably led to me to
being a potter today:

"I don't run with scissors, but I play with fire!"

--Clay Mudman.

Cavalier Lisle Art & Design on mon 10 nov 03


>If one of you glaze experts could describe both
>of these materials in detail I will know which I've got and save a bit of
>time.

Hi Patti,

I was just recently mixing a series of cone 10 glazes for my Ceramic
Chemistry class at the Massachusetts College of Art, which contained
Magnesium Carbonate.

If your bag in question is very light weight in comparison to its
mass, then it is more likely the white, fluffy compound of Magnesium
Carbonate.

Hope this helps,

Marc Lisle

patti yager on fri 14 nov 03


Well, as it turns out, I got the magnesium. On Monday I called L & R
Specialties, told them my problem and they said they would send out the
manganese that day and would I send back the magnesium. It arrived the next
afternoon! Even though the original order was mixed up I'm very pleased with
the service. Seems to me that the agricultural manganese I used for trace
elements in hydroponics was a white powder. Not that easily confused with
magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) which I used as well. This manganese is soft
tan and a very fine, but not fluffy, powder.
When all is said and done, I'm finding glaze chemistry as fascinating as ag
chemistry. Should keep me entertained for many years to come. Thanks to all
who responded. This is a great group and helped sustain me through the past
year when I was unable to work in clay. It's good to be in mud again.

(mud)Patti
now a studio artist

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Buck [mailto:tom.buck@hwcn.org]
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 7:07 PM
To: patti yager
Subject: Re: manganese or magnesium?

just in case you've not been told: Manganese Carbonate is pinkish dense
powder, whereas Magnesium Carbonate is a fluffy white powder. Manganese Carb
is toxic, Magnesium Carb is alkaline but not toxic when handling. still
avoid dusts.
Magnesium Carb is used to matt some glaze mixes. Managanese Carbonate is
a colorant material, the oxide, MnO, which survives at 1000 oC, 1830 oF,
yields different colors with different combinations, purple, brown, black.
if you have the wrong one, sorry but two hour trip coming up.

Tom Buck ) -- primary address.
"alias" or secondary address.
tel: 905-389-2339 (westend Lake Ontario, province of Ontario, Canada).
mailing address: 373 East 43rd Street, Hamilton ON L8T 3E1 Canada