Comparative Analysis of Chemical Properties of Locally-Made Ware

The chemical composition of ceramic raw materials significantly influences the properties and quality of the final products. This study investigates the chemical properties of key raw materials—galena, kaolin, and silica—sourced from various Nigerian locales to assess their suitability for high-quality ceramic production. Using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, the primary oxides analyzed include SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, CaO, MgO, Na₂O, K₂O, TiO₂, Pb, and Cu. The results indicate that silica possesses a high SiO₂ content (92.50%), making it ideal for glass formation in ceramics, while kaolin contains significant amounts of alumina (32.54%) and silica (46.12%), enhancing mechanical strength and thermal stability. Galena, composed mainly of lead (79.47%) and copper (9.74%), is unsuitable for traditional ceramics due to toxicity concerns but may have specialized applications in glaze formulations. The findings provided essential baseline data, which was applied in the production of locally-made pottery and ceramic ware.