Today I Made...

(A product a day! Food for thought on: 1. The raw materials - Where can I find this raw material? Locally or imported? Cost? 2. The process - What kind of process? Chemical, physical, biological? Cost and safety considerations? If there are a number of alternative processes, which is the most energy efficient, most cost effective, and safest? 3. The product - What will the product be used for? Where will it be marketed? Locally or exported? How much profit will I make?)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Chalk

Raw materials

1. Calcium carbonate

2. Pigments

3. Water

Process

1. Chalk pulverized

2. Pulverized chalk mixed with pigments (to give white chalk colour)

3. Water added to mixture to form a thick slurry with the consistency of clay

4. Slurry placed on sheets

5. Sheets placed in an oven and chalk cures for four days at 85 degrees Celsius

Product

Coloured chalk

Used for

Drawing on rough surfaces

Production facility
Canberra, ACT

Export
Yerevan, Armenia

2 comments:

Robin LeowJuly 17, 2011 at 7:26 AM
Most interesting. This is a straight forward physical process. Also, calcium carbonate in the form of limestone is readily available in Aussie. Only, need small investment to set up a factory for this one. Essentially, just need a pulverizer (grinder or miller), container to stir the slurry, and an oven.
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Robin LeowJuly 18, 2011 at 8:05 AM
Chemical Engineer,

Maybe you would like to reconsider setting up this "old" (traditional-like), low tech industry in the modern high tech capital of Australia.
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